Petunia joins the Club
by EbonyWing
Summary: In canon, Petunia Evans wrote a letter pleading to be allowed into Hogwarts. But what if she didn't have to?  How many lives would change if Petunia was a Witch too? Major AU!
1. First Impressions

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of this but I wish I did! :P**

**A/N: Hi, I'm back! Just so you know, this is an **_**AU!**_** Events, characters, ages, etc will be changed. So here goes—hope you enjoy the story! X)**

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><p>"Lily, don't!"<p>

But it was too late. Severus watched in awe from his hiding place as the flame haired angel flung herself recklessly from the swing at the height of its arc only to float gently down to earth, completely unharmed. She laughed brightly as the other girl ran up, her blonde braid flying behind her.

"Lily—don't do that!"

"I'm fine Tuney, relax! And that's not all, look at this!" Racing to the flowerbed beside the swings she plucked a flower and skipped happily back to her sister, unaware of the near heart attack she'd given the small boy crouched behind the surrounding bushes. She'd been so close he'd seen the freckles lightly dusting her nose. He could've reached out and touched her. Not that he would have. That would probably scare her and Severus would die before he'd do that. It was the first time he'd ever seen anyone like himself, besides his mother. And she hardly even counted anymore.

A high pitched shriek made him wince. The angel—_Lily_, he reminded himself, _her name is Lily_—was gently holding the flower as it's petals slowly opened and closed while her sister stared in horror mingled with the faintest tinge of fascination.

"Stop it Lily!" she demanded, her voice wavering slightly. "It's not natural!"

Lily looked hurt. "But I practiced for ages to get it this good, Tuney! I didn't want to show you until I got it right!"

Tuney frowned. "You practiced?" she said doubtfully.

"Yes, for hours and hours Tuney!" Lily cried dramatically. "Isn't it cool? I wonder how it works."

Severus tensed. This was it. He'd tell her what she was and she'd realize they were the same despite his horrible clothes and ugly face. A small part of him warned that stories like that usually had 'once upon a time' at the beginning but the old desperate desire for companionship overwhelmed it. However, before he could draw in a breath to speak, the Tuney girl beat him to it.

"Do you think I can…I mean, might it work for me?" Tuney asked hesitantly.

Lily stared at her sister in obvious surprise. Severus guessed that the girl was rarely hesitant about anything. He glared at her through the leaves. Lily smiled radiantly, obviously overjoyed that her sister was interested as she gave her the flower. Listening to Lily coaching her sister in a soft, encouraging voice, Severus slumped backwards, the tension running out of his body. His carefully crafted plan was ruined. Not that the stupid muggle would be able to do anything anyway so maybe then—

A sudden cry of delight, made him jolt upright again in time to see Tuney's face light up as the petals twitched. However his abrupt movement drew their attention. Tuney quickly dropped the flower as if it was on fire and jumped backward.

"Who's there?" she demanded shrilly. "Who's spying on us?"

For a second, Severus had a strong urge to run but he crushed it ruthlessly. That would simply ensure that neither would ever speak to him.

"I'm not spying," he lied as he pushed his way out of the bush.

Their shocked gasps made him curse inwardly. This wasn't the impression he'd hoped to make. "I was just watching you do magic," he explained quickly. "I never met anyone else that could before."

He saw Lily's eyes widen as she realized what he'd just said but he noticed with a sinking feeling that the Tuney girl's expression hadn't changed from the one of shocked disgust she'd assumed when she first got a decent look at him. He felt his face heat up and scowled at the ground. He doubted she heard a thing he'd said.

Luckily Lily was smarter than her sister. "It's magic?"

At his nod she let out a squeal of excitement. "I knew it! And you? You said you'd never met anyone _else_. Can you—?"

"Yes," Severus said with a small smile, savoring the feeling of having those luminous green eyes focused solely on _him_. "I'm a Wizard and you and your sister are Witches."

He knew he'd said something wrong when Lily's beaming smile was replaced by a look of hurt.

"How dare you call us witches, you filthy little mongrel!" Tuney spat indignantly. Reaching out, she dragged Lily back to her side. "Stay away from him, Lily."

"No, no, it's not an insult—really! My mother is a Witch too!" Inwardly he winced, that was hardly the best endorsement, but thankfully they couldn't know that.

"Your mother?" Lily said cautiously. Tuney kept trying to pull her away but Lily twisted out of her grip and approached Severus again.

"That's right," Severus replied nervously.

"And your Dad? Is he a…Wizard?"

"No, he's a muggle."

"Is that bad?" Tuney asked, pouncing on further evidence of his unsuitability.

"It just means he hasn't got magic," he explained impatiently.

"Magic," Tuney scoffed. "Magic isn't real! Everybody knows that."

"But Tuney—"

"There's no such thing as Witches!" Tuney said to Lily with finality and turned on Severus again as he began to argue. "Oh don't think I don't know who you are! You're that Snape boy from Spinner's End. Wizard indeed!"

Grabbing Lily's hand again she took off, leaving the playground and heading back towards the respectable suburbs. Severus watched them go before kicking the swing set in frustration. He should have known it wouldn't work. Merlin but he was naive sometimes. And even if by some miracle they had believed him, Lily had her sister now. She'd have no reason to turn to someone like him when her horrible sister was a Witch too.

With a defeated sigh, he left the playground as well, walking in the opposite direction towards far more dingy streets where the houses got progressively more run down the further he went.

* * *

><p>The next day, Lily sat curled up on the window seat absently braiding her long red hair. She wasn't sure what to do. Tuney was completely ignoring her except to warn her away from 'that horrible Snape boy.' It was depressing. She'd told Petunia her secret because they were sisters and sisters were supposed to share everything. She'd always felt a little apart because of the things she could do, a little bit different and she'd been counting on Tuney to make it better. And for a brief, wonderful second she had. Instead of her secret, it had become <em>their<em> secret. Lily finally had someone to share it with, who understood. It had been such a wonderful feeling of connection. She'd thought Petunia had felt it too. Then that boy had appeared, telling her she was magic, special but not alone because it wasn't just her and Petunia, he was the same too. It had felt like everything was falling into place.

But then Petunia had said all those awful things and proceeded to pretend she was an only child. Lily's hand shook as she tied off her braid. What if she'd scared the boy away for good? What if he never came back? She'd never learn anything about Witches and Wizards and magic. Suddenly energized, Lily leapt up to tell her mother she was going to the playground. Maybe Petunia was fine with that but she wasn't!

Lily entered the playground slowly, scanning the area hopefully but apart from a bunch of nine year olds messing about on the monkey bars, the park was empty. Dejectedly she made her way over to the swings and sat, scuffing her foot in the sand. She waited until the other kids left before giving up. But just as she was about to go, a shy voice spoke up behind her.

"Hello."

Whirling around she saw him stumble back in alarm.

"There you are!" she cried, "I've been waiting here for ages!"

He blinked big dark eyes at her in confusion and she giggled.

"Um…sorry?" he offered dryly.

She grinned and patted the swing beside her, faintly bemused when his thin face lit up as if she'd offered him a sack of chocolate. As he gingerly settled on the swing, she took the opportunity to study him. He didn't look like a Wizard. His clothes were old and hung off his small frame, obviously several sizes too big. His black hair was long and greasy looking and his nose was too big for his face. Her mother would probably say he'd grow into it. She rather hoped he would. But his eyes, now those were Wizard eyes. They were so dark she couldn't even make out his pupils and they shone with mystery and the promise of magic.

"I'm Lily, Lily Evans," she said holding out a hand.

"Severus Snape," he responded, shaking her hand with such reverence it could have been made of glass.

Lily decided she liked him.

oOoOoOo

"So can you do magic too?"

"Yeah, but I can't control it. That's what Hogwarts is for. I stick to potions mainly; the simple ones don't need incantations, just precision. They're more reliable at the moment."

"Hogwarts? What's that?"

They'd long since left the swings, finding a sunny patch of grass to lie on instead.

"Hogwarts is where we'll be going. It's where they'll teach us magic."

Lily caught her breath in excitement. "Tell me!"

Severus smirked at her enthusiasm. "We'll have to get our wands and supplies in Diagon Alley. That's a Wizarding town hidden in London," he added seeing her blank expression. "Hogwarts is a huge magical castle that serves as a school. First years are chosen at eleven. I can't believe it's only a few months away!"

"Wow… Petunia's eleven too. I can't wait until _my_ birthday!"

She was a little taken aback to see Severus sit up and regard her with wide, panicked eyes. "You're not eleven yet? When's your birthday?"

Caught up in his urgency she blurted her answer. "In a few weeks. Petunia's was last October. I can still go to Hogwarts though, right Sev?"

He relaxed and nodded. "You'd go no matter what, Lily. This just means we'll be in the same year."

Lily smiled. "Good! I'll have at least one friend already." She pretended not to notice when Sev blushed and just grinned up at the clouds. A rustling sound made her look around in time to see Petunia dart back behind the tree they were leaning against.

"Lily, are you alright?"

She turned to see Sev's concerned face and smiled. "I'm fine," she assured him, "but do you mind if Tuney joins us?" She grinned at the startled squawk from behind them as Sev leapt to his feet.

"Who's spying this time?" he hissed angrily.

Petunia flounced out from her hiding place in a huff. "I was just out for a walk, not crouched in the bushes like _some_ people. It's not my fault you talk so loud!"

"Petunia! Don't be so mean to Sev—he's telling me all about Hogwarts!" She bounced in excitement. "It's brilliant Tuney, I can't wait until we go!"

Petunia glared at Sev who glared right back. Lily stopped bouncing, her smile faltering. "You shouldn't be filling my sister's head with this rubbish," Tuney snapped. "She believes you! Don't you care how she'll feel once she realizes it was all a game?"

"Actually I'm thinking how stupid and clueless _you'll_ feel when you get your letter and won't have any idea what to do!" Sev sneered. "That is if you get in at all. I haven't seen much magic from _you_. You barely made those petals twitch!"

Lily sucked in a horrified breath and Petunia looked shocked for a minute before getting angry again. "Of course not, it was just the wind," she insisted. "Magic isn't real!"

"Oh so seeing your sister levitate is normal is it?"

"Well I haven't seen you do anything remotely special," she retorted. "You just showed up and started spouting pretty stories and lies—"

"They're not lies!" A sudden crack was all the warning they had when a thick branch plummeted towards Petunia's head. She crouched with a scream as Severus knocked Lily out of the way.

"Tuney!" Lily wailed, staggering a little as Sev pulled her up. Lily was expecting blood or broken limbs so when she saw her sister standing apparently unharmed, staring blankly at the massive branch by her feet, all arguments were forgotten and she threw herself at her with a choked sob.

Petunia's arms went automatically around Lily although her gaze never wavered from the branch lying in front of her.

"What happened?" Severus asked quietly. "It was coming right at you."

"I-I don't…It just…curved," she sucked in a shaky breath, her first since that fatal moment. "I-It should have hit me."

Severus closed his eyes in relief. "Thank Merlin you're a Witch," he muttered.

"It didn't break."

Severus didn't bother looking at the branch but Lily did, still holding tightly to Petunia, who for once wasn't complaining. The base of the branch was smooth, not jagged, as if it'd been cut.

"It was you, wasn't it?"

Lily's head shot up at Tuney's accusation. She looked to Sev for his denial but all she saw was guilt.

"S-Sev?"

"It was an accident," he pleaded, "no-one can control their magic properly until they get a wand and go to Hogwarts. Whenever you're scared or…_stressed_… I didn't mean to—"

"You're dangerous," Petunia said flatly. Lily could feel her sister's heartbeat start to pick up. "Stay away from us!" she snapped as Severus stepped towards them. Lily watched silently as he jerked back with a stricken look.

"Lily…"

She buried her face in Petunia's shoulder. She couldn't believe it. How could such a good day go so wrong so quickly?

"We're leaving," she heard Tuney tell him. "Don't follow us. Don't speak to us again." She didn't look up until they'd left the park. She didn't let go of Petunia all night.

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><p><strong>AN: Please let me know what you think!**


	2. Confrontations & Gifts

**Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. I'm just playing 'what if.' :P**

Severus didn't go home that night. When the weather was warm he preferred to sleep outside. The playground was his usual haunt; he normally curled up under the slide in case it rained. He couldn't face going home just yet. Not on top of everything else. He was just so used to lashing out with his magic. It was sporadic but it had saved him enough times that he was generally left alone unless really unlucky. At least until Hogwarts when he wouldn't be able to use magic to get himself out of tight spots anymore.

Every silver lining has a cloud.

He'd told Lily about accidental magic, surely she realized that he hadn't done it on purpose? Of course if her sister hadn't had that lucky spurt of power, she'd just be a smear on the ground right now. It had been a pretty big branch. Looking at it that way made his stomach twist. Lily would hate him forever and her sister looked the vindictive type. What if they told people at Hogwarts? He was self-aware enough to know that he was unlikely to have many friends. This could mean he'd be hated before he even got a chance to screw up.

But there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Every feasible plan he came up with required at least talking to them but he knew if he went anywhere near them again, they probably _would_ tell. His best bet was to leave them alone and hope they forgot about him. But remembering Lily's laughing green eyes, her bright hair, the way she'd smiled as if she really wanted to hear what he had to say… It was a lot to give up.

Although that implied he had a choice. He'd had his chance and he messed up. Nothing new there, time to move on.

It wasn't as if he needed anyone anyway. His mother always said that caring for people made you weak. He hated the way she always looked at him when she said that. Closing his eyes as if to block out the unwanted thoughts; he fell into an uneasy sleep, dreaming of branches smashing Lily's head while Petunia screamed and he just watched, unable to move.

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><p>Petunia Evans was good at denial. She wouldn't agree of course, but she'd heard it said. But ignoring whatever unpleasant things she was forced to deal with until they went away—her preferred coping method—had nearly gotten her killed. Two days had passed since the incident and she still couldn't forget about it. Petunia found it rather offensive that a nebulous force she didn't even believe in had both tried to kill her and saved her life, changing her entire world view in the process.<p>

Of course, her rational side decried it all as coincidence and hysteria but even her common sense had to admit there was also a possibility, a _slim_ possibility mind, that it _might_ be real.

Maybe.

In which case, she needed as much information about all this nonsense as she could get. For example, did they _have_ to go to this Hogwarts place? What happened if they didn't? Would they be turned back to normal?

She honestly had no idea. Petunia was out of her depth and found that she didn't much care for the experience. She made a quiet vow never to let it happen again. Lily was just as clueless, wandering around with red eyes, worrying their mother and acting as if she was the one who'd nearly died. Unfortunately, the cure for this malady was that homicidally inclined gutter rat. She'd overheard enough whispered conversations to know that his part of town was rough and uncouth and that Spinner's End was the worst area of the lot. But she needed him. As much as it galled her to admit it, he was the only one who seemed to know what was going on.

But the thought of seeing him again made her knees tremble in remembered terror. She really didn't want to go on her own. But he seemed to like Lily. And that way, it would be two against one if he tried anything. _It's not like its real anyway,_ she consoled herself. _This is just in case. _Funnily enough, it didn't soothe her the way it used to.

oOoOoOo

So it was on the third day that they marched back to the playground, ready to do battle. Lily had been surprisingly easy to convince, which had made Petunia slightly suspicious but she was walking with her chin up and a familiar stubborn determination in those green eyes. Petunia almost pitied the Snape boy when they found him.

Except they didn't. No scruffy dark shadow slunk into the park that day or the next. It wasn't until a whole week had passed that they finally caught a glimpse of him and even then it was an accident. They'd immediately abandoned their mother to carry the shopping the rest of the way home alone, citing a 'friend' who'd been sick that they'd just spotted. Petunia felt a small stab of guilt as their mother cheerfully waved them off with just a reminder to be home in time for dinner.

He was standing along the canal, skimming stones along the water. If he'd been a little more respectable, Petunia would have allowed herself to be impressed at the number of times he got them to bounce. As it was, she tried to control her nerves. Lily however seemed to realize how skittish she was and took charge. For once, Petunia let her without a shred of resentment. She didn't want to get closer to the Snape boy than she had to.

"Severus!"

At Lily's shout he dropped the stones he was holding and jumped backwards to avoid the resulting splash. He'd barely enough time to widen his eyes before Lily had slapped him hard across the face.

"That was for almost hurting Tuney," she said firmly. Petunia expected to feel vindicated at Lily's defense but something about the blank expression on the boy's face made her uncomfortable. He hadn't even twitched. Lily watched him for a minute before nodding and settling down on the bank.

"Will you teach me to skip stones like you can?" she asked solemnly.

Petunia blinked at the sudden change of tone and from the boy's wary expression, she wasn't the only one surprised.

"So you know I didn't do it on purpose?" he asked uncertainly.

"Not at first," Lily admitted, "I was too upset. But what you said about being scared or…angry, I've done it too."

"Lily?" Petunia gasped. "Don't be ridiculous, you'd never—"

"Remember the day the Ryan brothers were teasing us outside the butchers? Remember how the window—"

"Some hooligan threw a brick at it, Lily! That wasn't you!"

"Come on Petunia!" Lily said sharply. "Didn't you think it was weird that we never saw this hooligan? Or that no-one ever found the brick?"

Petunia just stared at her sister's regretful eyes. "Jack needed stitches, Tuney," Lily whispered raggedly. "I did that! I was so scared of myself, I—"

"Spent a week locked up in your room." Petunia wasn't sure what to say. As she watched, the Snape boy sat cautiously next to Lily and handed her a stone.

"They have to be flat," he told her quietly, "They can't be too light or the wind will interfere but if they're too heavy they'll just sink. Throw it low, like you're trying to slide it across the water."

Lily tossed the stone and watched it disappear with a 'plop'. She threw another with the same result. "No, like this," he told her and demonstrated. His stone skipped four times before sinking. Lily's face lit up and she grabbed another to try again. "Okay, this time for sure!"

"Lily!"

Lily dropped the stone and looked guiltily at her older sister.

"Sorry Tuney," she murmured. "Listen Sev, we need to know more about Hogwarts."

"What happens if we don't go?" Petunia added, "Will be go back to being normal?"

She ignored Lily's look of alarm and focused on the boy.

"You _are_ normal!" he snapped. "The only thing that'll happen if you don't go is that you'll never be able to control your magic."

"Will it…could I hurt someone?" she asked in a small voice. "Mum and Dad?"

"Oh Tuney!" Lily jumped up and gave her a hug.

"You might," the boy said carefully. "It all depends. But probably at least once, yes."

Petunia's stomach dropped. "Oh." She paused. "I don't want to go to a freak school."

"At least we'll all be freaks together!" Lily said brightly, obviously trying to cheer her up.

"We're not freaks," the boy growled. "And no-one will force you to go! You can just stay here and be a muggle."

Petunia stiffened at his tone but Lily interrupted before it could turn into a row. "Listen Tuney, you don't have to decide until we get our letters. Just listen to what Severus has to say and if you still don't want to go, I'm sure Mum and Dad will work something out."

Petunia nodded reluctantly.

"Now," Lily let go of her and clapped her hands. "I don't think either of you has ever been properly introduced. Severus Snape, this is my sister Petunia Evans. Tuney, this is Severus."

Petunia and Severus looked at each other. He gave her a curt nod. She sniffed disdainfully but returned it.

"Great!" Lily said happily. "Now let's sit and Sev can tell us all about Hogwarts."

oOoOoOo

It soon became a regular thing. Every day Lily and Petunia would meet Severus in the playground and learn about the Wizarding world. Their world, according to Severus. It sounded like some kind of bizarre fairy tale; owls that could deliver post, pictures that moved, magic wands…it all seemed so incredible. But Severus acted so casual about it all, as if it were commonplace. Lily of course, lapped it up. Even the scary bits like the Wizard prison and the Dementor-monsters that guarded it. That was evidence enough that magic wasn't all sweetness and light.

But when Severus talked about school it was hard not to believe him. He seemed so sure and he made it sound so beautiful. A great hall with its ceiling enchanted to reflect the sky outside, moving staircases, disappearing rooms. Flying lessons, something called Quidditch and massive libraries. Before long, Petunia couldn't think of Hogwarts without a flutter of excitement and anticipation. She wanted so desperately to see it. She _wanted_ it to be real.

* * *

><p>On the morning of her eleventh birthday, Lily could hardly keep still. Her parents were taking her and Petunia out to celebrate later but she wanted to see Sev first. He'd promised her a magical present. She was a bit disappointed he couldn't come with them. Petunia said he probably didn't have anything to wear. She hated how her sister always said nasty things like that to Sev. The branch incident had mostly been forgotten but Tuney couldn't seem to get over where Sev lived. Lily understood that it wasn't as nice as where they lived but that was hardly Sev's fault.<p>

She was on her way out when she ran into Tuney on the stairs. "Are you going to meet Severus?" she asked.

"Yeah, he promised me a present."

"Do you mind if I come?"

"You just want to see magic," Lily teased, knowing she still wasn't completely convinced it was real. Petunia didn't bother to deny it.

Sev was waiting on the swings and gave a small smile when he saw her and a polite nod to Petunia. Lily was glad they'd moved past hostility and into civility. Sadly they seemed unable to move any further.

"Happy Birthday Lily!" he greeted her as she and Tuney sat on the swings either side of him. He held out a small vial filled with a clear liquid and a small card. She took them curiously, holding the vial up to the light.

"It's a potion," he told her proudly. "I brewed it last night. Drop it on your nails and it'll change colour with your mood."

Petunia's blue eyes widened and she leaned forward slightly. "Try it, Lily!"

With a quick glance at Severus she complied, spilling a little in her hurry. Almost immediately, they turned an eye-watering yellow.

"You're happy!" Severus exclaimed, sounding delighted.

Lily shrieked in excitement and hugged Sev till he blushed. When she pulled back her nails had turned a faint pink.

"Here, Tuney!" she cried, "you try some next!"

Petunia hesitated, looking at Severus anxiously. He was still a bit flushed after Lily's hug and he actually offered her a rare smile. "Go ahead," he shrugged, "its Lily's present after all." Seeing how she eyed the vial nervously, he added, "It won't hurt you."

Tuney carefully applied it, not spilling a drop. Her nails turned a sickly green and Severus rolled his eyes. "I told you it's not dangerous;" he said impatiently, "Don't be such a wimp."

Her nails flushed red. "I am not a wimp, Severus Snape!"

"And now you're angry Tuney!" Lily said grinning at her sister's vamp red nails. Petunia make a face at her and her nails slowly settled into a more peaceful blue. They messed around a bit more until Lily's nails refused to turn any other colour except the cheerful yellow that denoted pure happiness and even Sev couldn't rile Tuney up enough to change hers from yellow tinged blue. It was the first time they'd all laughed together. That realization just made Lily's yellow nails glow brighter.

"Hey, what's that Lily?" Tuney asked curiously as they grew bored of examining each other's nails. Severus smirked. "I thought you'd like to see a real Wizarding photograph," he said smugly.

Lily immediately dove for where she'd left it on the empty swing. Petunia wasn't far behind her, dignity forgotten in the rush of discovery. "Is it real Lily?" she asked breathlessly, "are they actually moving?" She seemed almost scared to look. With a grin, Lily held out the card so her sister could see it too.

The card itself was old and bent but they barely noticed. They were fixated on the old man in deep blue robes dotted with gold stars that gazed back at them through half-moon spectacles. He had long white hair and his beard was tucked into his belt. As they watched, he smiled and waved, his blue eyes twinkling merrily. After a few minutes of pulling various faces, he wandered out of the frame and Lily nearly dropped the card in shock as Petunia let out a startled yelp.

A chuckle from behind them showed Severus lounging on his swing, obviously enjoying their reaction.

"He's gone!" Petunia said in disbelief.

Severus shrugged. "You can hardly expect him to hang around all day, can you?"

"Will he come back?" Lily asked, studying the empty frame in amazement.

"Eventually," Severus promised. "Did you read the caption?" He grinned at their sheepish looks. "Well maybe you should now he's not around to distract you."

"Albus Dumbledore," Lily read aloud. "Wait Sev, is this—"

"The Headmaster of Hogwarts?" he finished. "That's right. I thought you'd be interested."

"Considered by many to be the greatest wizard of modern times," Lily read eagerly, "Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon blood and for his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling. Bowling?" she asked doubtfully.

Petunia shrugged, attempting to act nonchalant but her blue eyes shone with excitement. "Everyone needs a hobby Lily."

"I guess," she said, happy that Tuney seemed to have finally come round. They couldn't stay long after that, they were already overdue. If they waited any longer even being the birthday girl wouldn't be able to save them. They promised to meet Severus the next day and ran home, Lily smiling even wider when she saw that Tuney's nails had turned as yellow as her own.


	3. Diagon Alley

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters but I sure wish I did! :P**

**A/N: Thank you to everyone that reviewed, I hope you keep reading! (and liking, obviously!) A longer chapter for you today—enjoy!**

* * *

><p>The day their letters arrived, Severus sat on the swings and let their excited chatter wash over him, soothing his ruffled nerves. By all accounts it had been a joyous occasion in the Evans household. Their letters had been delivered personally by one of the teachers, a Professor McGonagall who had evidently been well practiced in the handling of confused muggle parents. However, once their questions were answered and fears allayed, Lily and Petunia reported that they were as proud as punch to have two Witches in the family.<p>

Severus' letter had been delivered by owl and the poor creature had been lucky to escape a broken wing once his father realized what it was carrying. Of course his mother couldn't resist the opportunity to rub salt in an old wound, gleefully reminding him that his son was as much of a freak as she was. He hadn't stuck around to see it escalate. Instead he'd made his way here and allowed Lily and Tuney's excitement to buoy him up.

"What did _your_ parents say?" Petunia broke off to ask him.

"Oh just the usual stuff, Tuney," he evaded. Which was unfortunately true.

"For the last time, don't call me Tuney!" she scowled as Lily laughed. Severus just smirked unrepentantly. The elder Evans sister had warmed up to him considerably after Lily's birthday. He figured she finally believed he wasn't just stringing them along for his own amusement. And now she'd had it confirmed by an outside source, she was practically glowing. She had nothing on Lily though, who was almost vibrating with excitement.

"I wonder what House we'll be in?" she asked for the tenth time.

"It's up to the Hat to decide," Severus said absently. "I already know I'll be in Slytherin though."

"The home of the cunning!" Lily grinned. "What about you Tuney?"

"Well, I don't think I'm very cunning," she mused. "I'm not sure about Gryffindor either."

"You're plenty brave Tuney," Lily said indignantly.

"I think she means that they have a reputation for acting first, thinking later," Severus said wryly.

"Loyalty and Knowledge are nothing to sneeze at either," Petunia said primly. "In any case, there's no point wondering if it's all up to the Sorting Hat anyway."

"Maybe you guys will be in Slytherin too," Severus said hopefully.

"Well, even if we are in different Houses, we'll still be friends!" Lily said resolutely. "We can hang out after class and do homework together and eat together…"

"Different Houses have different tables, remember Lily?" Petunia reminded her.

"That's a stupid rule," she grumbled.

"Maybe we could eat outside while the weather's good," Severus suggested.

"Maybe," she conceded. "Anyway, we have to go or we'll be late for lunch!"

"Oh, alright," Severus said trying to hide his disappointment. "I'll see you later then?"

Lily and Petunia looked at him oddly. "You weren't listening to us at all earlier, were you Sev?" Lily accused.

"Um…"

"Our parents want to meet you," Tuney said, hauling him off the swing. "It'd be rude to keep them waiting!"

"What?" he yelped, shaking Petunia off and staggering backward.

"We told them all about you, Sev!" Lily said, tucking a stray lock of red hair behind her ear. "About how you helped us understand about magic and Hogwarts!"

"We need to decide when we're going to Diagon Alley as well," Petunia said bossily. "We'll need you to show us the way. When is your mother bringing you?"

Severus' brain stalled. He figured he'd have to blackmail his mother into taking him but if the Evans' were going anyway…

"Didn't Professor McGonagall tell you where to go?" he asked, partly because he was curious and partly to give him time to think.

"Well she gave us the general overview," Petunia acknowledged, "but once she heard we knew a Wizarding family, she assumed we'd go with you."

"Tuney, we're going to be late!" Lily called. "Come on, Sev!"

Reluctantly he started to follow them. Severus preferred to avoid adults as a rule but in this case he really didn't have a choice. Not if he wanted to get his school things with as little hassle as possible and definitely not if he wanted to keep hanging out with Lily and Petunia.

* * *

><p>Vanessa Evans broke off discussing the situation with her husband as the children made their way nosily to the kitchen. They'd already decided to allow them to go to this school. Professor McGonagall had seemed a no nonsense type of person and someone intrinsically trustworthy. Although it had come as a shock to <em>all<em> the adults that Lily and Petunia had not only known about Hogwarts but were eagerly awaiting their letters! After hearing Lily's overjoyed shrieking and the even the usually reserved Petunia screaming in delight it was near impossible for them to refuse.

As her girls bounced happily into the kitchen, Vanessa's eyes were drawn to the source of this knowledge standing shyly by the door, looking as if he wanted to melt into the floor. According to Lily and Petunia, this was the expert. Her first thought was that his clothes were a disgrace; she was shocked that his mother had allowed the child out in them. His hair was too long and in need of a wash and he was far too pale. She couldn't be certain with the baggy clothes, but given the way his collarbone was jutting out, she didn't think he got nearly enough to eat.

A quick look at her husband saw him frowning as he undoubtedly reached the same conclusion. She turned back to the boy in time to see those dark eyes widen in something akin to fear and followed his uneasy gaze back to Harry. A swift kick under the table caused him to lose the frown and give her a quizzical look; to which she responded by tilting her head towards their visitor and waiting until understanding dawned. When it did, she could tell he was hard pressed to keep his face neutral.

A sudden lull in the chatter indicated that the girls had become perplexed at their silence. Vanessa doubted any of them realized that she and Harry had just had an entire conversation under their noses. She smiled warmly at the boy who by this point was looking unnerved enough to bolt and noted with satisfaction when he relaxed infinitesimally.

"Hello there," she said gently. "My name is Vanessa Evans, the mother of these two hoydens." She smiled at the outcry that statement caused and watched as the boy relaxed further.

"Severus Snape," he said shortly.

"Yes, I know," she said with a glance at her two beaming daughters. They looked so pleased with themselves. She could almost hear the words, _can we keep him? _"I've heard all about you. This is my husband Harry."

Severus nodded warily at him, not budging from his place by the door. "Hello Severus," he said casually. "I don't know about you but I'm starving! Let's eat, shall we?"

Within moments, they were all seated around the table, Vanessa making sure to put Severus between Lily and Petunia who both remained happily oblivious to the underlying tension. Poor Severus looked so nervous, though he recovered enough to bicker with Petunia and patiently answer Lily's flood of questions. But he kept shooting worried glances across the table at them and ate like a bird, much to her carefully hidden displeasure.

However after lunch, when they adjourned to the living room, Severus was all business.

"The girls mentioned Diagon Alley?" he asked diffidently.

"Ah…yes," Vanessa responded, somewhat thrown by the direct question. "When are your parents planning to go?"

"Well, my parents are very busy these days," Severus said vaguely, "but if you give me a lift, I can show you where to go."

"You know the way?" Harry asked skeptically.

"Yes, I do," he responded defiantly. "I've been there before."

"Of course you have Severus," Vanessa said soothingly, "It's just that Professor McGonagall mentioned needing a wand to gain entry."

Lily and Petunia looked at Severus questioningly who simply nodded. "It's true you need a wand to get in," he admitted, "but the entrance is behind the Leaky Cauldron. It's Wizard-run and they're used to helping muggleborns get through. Lily and Tuney just have to show their Hogwarts letters."

Vanessa glanced at her husband who simply shrugged. "Very well then Severus. Thank you. Will next Tuesday be all right?"

He flushed slightly and ducked his head. "Um, yeah. No problem."

She noticed he didn't mention asking his parents. She wondered if 'very busy' was a euphemism and then berated herself for such a stupid question.

* * *

><p>As Severus predicted, they got to Diagon Alley without a hitch. There had been one sticky moment where her parents hadn't been able to <em>see<em> the Leaky Cauldron but that was sorted once she and Petunia led them inside. At her first glimpse of Diagon Alley, Lily felt her heart soar. It was worlds apart from the dingy interior of the Cauldron and its weedy yard. A sunny cobbled street stretched before her, packed with people wearing strange robes haggling at stalls and streaming in and out of shops. Windows were stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eel eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, rolls of parchment, potions bottles, globes of the moon—all veritable treasure troves. A low, soft hooting came from a shadowy shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium, while its neighbour displayed telescopes and strange silver instruments Lily couldn't begin to guess the uses for. A large boisterous crowd was gathered outside Quality Quidditch Supplies and above it all towered a snowy white building that gleamed in the sun.

Beside her Petunia was staring around with eyes like saucers, the pinched expression of disappointment brought on by the shabby state of the Cauldron vanishing in the wake of pure awe. It was everything they'd ever imagined. No better, because this was real. Lily had never felt more at home than she did at that moment surrounded by the unfamiliar, the strange and the downright bizarre. The only thing that even came close was sitting with Petunia in the playground listening to Sev weaving stories of magic.

After spending a few minutes gawking like tourists while Severus watched them in open amusement, the group made their way up the white stone steps of Gringotts. A goblin in red and gold livery bowed them inside and Lily thanked God for Sev. Even forewarned, it was difficult not to stare. When they reached the counters, her Dad started changing their money for Galleons and Sev veered off to another booth.

Seeing her parents and Tuney totally absorbed in their transaction, Lily slipped after him. He was standing before a severe looking goblin while it examined an old, creased letter.

"Have you proof of identity?" the goblin sneered.

Severus reached around his neck and drew out a long finely linked chain on which a heavy silver 'P' hung. It looked old and very expensive. The goblin reached out and traced a long thin finger over the metal.

"This seems to be in order," he said curtly. "Very well. You will receive a small stipend from the Prince vaults to cover your schooling. However it was made quite clear," he tapped the letter on the desk, "that you are not entitled to anything more."

Severus tipped up his chin belligerently, his dark eyes flashing. "I'm not looking for anything more," he said coldly.

The goblin pushed the letter back to him without a word and Lily watched as Severus folded it carefully and pocketed it before tucking the chain back under his shirt. Once he'd finished, the goblin handed him a velvet pouch and proceeded to ignore him.

Severus weighed the bag in his hand for a moment, regarding it with a calculating expression. He hadn't noticed her yet. Lily realized that she'd seen something she wasn't supposed to and she'd no idea how her prickly friend would react. He was a very private person. Making a snap decision, she scurried back to where her parents were receiving a velvet pouch of their own. She couldn't help noting that Sev's was much smaller.

Petunia shot her a questioning look and she made a face indicating that she'd explain later as Sev joined them.

"Well that's that out of the way," her father said cheerfully. "Where are we heading first?"

"Ollivanders," Sev said immediately, "We may as well get the most important things first."

"Wands, Mum," Petunia said seeing her mother's lost expression. Lily was first to the door, all thoughts of the previous scene overtaken by frustrated impatience. Why did her parents have to walk so slowly?

* * *

><p>Despite Severus' assurances that Ollivanders was world renowned, Petunia was skeptical. The shop was tiny with peeling gold letters proclaiming that the place had been around since 382 BC. She hadn't even known there <em>were<em> shops back then. The window display, unlike the others they'd seen, was drab and dusty with only a single wand on a faded cushion. No-one else seemed too worried by this. Lily and her parents looked thrilled and even Severus was smiling slightly in anticipation. But then, the entrance to Diagon Alley had seemed disappointing as well and look how that turned out. Petunia eyed the shop distrustfully as her family followed Severus in. He hadn't been wrong so far. So for the first time since she was old enough to ask _why_, Petunia decided to have a little faith.

The shop was rather cramped; thousands of narrow boxes were piled up to the ceiling along the walls and everything was covered in a fine layer of dust that offended Petunia on the most basic level. Surely with all this magic, they could find a way to clean up! However despite the questionable hygiene, there was something about the place that made her skin tingle.

"Good afternoon."

Petunia had to stifle a shriek of surprise. A tall pale man with creepy silver eyes stood before them even though she was certain that the shop had been empty a second ago.

"Er yes, good afternoon…Mr. Ollivander?" her father enquired politely. At the man's nod he continued, "We're here for three wands, please."

"Of course," the man said softly, giving each of them a piercing look. He stepped up to Petunia. "We'll start with the eldest now, shall we?"

Her eyes widened and she shot a look of alarm at Lily who seemed just as taken aback. Severus didn't react at all, simply watched the man with inscrutable dark eyes.

"Your wand arm please," he said briskly and whipped out a measuring tape with silver markings as she hesitantly raised her right arm.

"Our wands are created with cores taken from magical creatures," Mr. Ollivander explained, dropping the tape and moving towards the boxes, "most notably Unicorn hair, Dragon heartstring and Phoenix feathers. No two Ollivander wands are the same."

"Well then, how do we choose which core we want?" Lily asked sounding apprehensive. Petunia was glad she'd brought it up since she was wondering the same thing but was too distracted by trying to keep an eye on the measuring tape that was whizzing around her body to ask.

"You?" Ollivander repeated sounding vaguely puzzled, "But it's not up to _you,_ my dear! The wand chooses the wizard after all."

Petunia's stomach clenched. What if none picked _her?_ Would she be sent home, told it was all a mistake—that she wasn't a Witch after all? What if Lily and Severus went to Hogwarts and learned magic while she remained stuck at home in frustrated mediocrity? She thought she might go mad. She flinched when the tape was suddenly snatched from the air where it had been attempting to measure her flaring nostrils and blinked when a smooth stick was thrust into her hand.

"Come on girl, give it a wave, give it a wave!" Mr. Ollivander's placid demeanor had evaporated, swept away on a tide of frenetic energy.

"Go on, Tuney!" Lily called encouragingly.

Too nervous to feel stupid, she waved it awkwardly. Nothing happened and her breath caught as it was snatched from her grasp. But before she had time to panic, another replaced it.

"Try this one, walnut and unicorn hair." She'd barely raised it when it was seized.

"How about this one, blackthorn and phoenix feather."

Mr. Ollivander bounced all over the shop looking increasingly gleeful as the pile of discarded wands grew steadily higher. Petunia was close to tears when she finally picked up the rosewood and dragon heartstring and felt warmth rush from the tips of her fingers to her toes, banishing the tears that were threatening. She smiled, feeling her old confidence return.

Her smile stretched to a rarely seen grin as she flourished the wand and the dust vanished. Lily and Severus cheered as Ollivander looked around the shop in dismay.

"Yes, rosewood and dragon heartstring, reasonably springy," he said sounding rather dejected as he gazed at the spotless surfaces. "A very good wand."

Severus and Lily were soon sorted out too. Severus took nearly as long as she had before finding a flexible ebony and phoenix feather wand. He couldn't take his eyes off it. Petunia didn't blame him; she had her fingers curled around hers where it rested in her pocket. There was something incredibly comforting about just holding it. Lily on the other hand, was finished refreshingly quickly. She found a match in the third one she tried, a ten and ¼ inch willow wand with a unicorn hair core.

"Rather swishy and good for charms," Ollivander assured them. Petunia thought he looked a little disappointed that the search was over so fast.

She blinked as they emerged into the bright bustling street again. It was like a different world. She glanced back at the shop, half expecting it to have disappeared but it was exactly where it had always been, looking just as boring and unobtrusive as before she entered.

* * *

><p>Mr. Evans took them to Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour once they'd left Ollivanders, claiming they needed fuel after such a harrowing experience. Severus had tried to duck out, suggesting meeting them in Flourish &amp; Blotts instead. He didn't want to admit that he couldn't afford the treat. Things were going to be tight enough as it was. However he somehow found himself sitting beside Lily as she and Petunia admired their wands with a large sundae in front of him. As thanks, Mr. Evans said, for helping them navigate.<p>

Severus' pride demanded that he protest and insist on paying or else not pick up a spoon at all, but he was used to ignoring his pride. He really _couldn't_ afford it and Mr. Evans looked pretty intractable on the subject anyway. And he could hardly just let it melt, could he? So he ate the lot, savouring the coolness as it slipped down his throat. Lily giggled and said he looked like a big lazy cat with such a contented expression and his eyes half-closed in bliss. He didn't even bother arguing with her. Sugar mellowed him, which was why he never had any. Or that was his excuse anyway.

Afterwards they headed to Madam Malkin's to get their school robes where he and Lily teased Petunia as she tried to acquaint herself with Wizarding fashion. They got their cauldrons next and used them to carry their books once they left Flourish & Blotts. Severus spent over half an hour in the apothecary after they bought their potions supplies until Petunia dragged him out claiming the smell of rat gizzard was getting in her hair and Lily begged her parents for an owl as they passed the Emporium but was shot down. Apparently Professor McGonagall had informed them about the school owls.

It was getting dark when they pulled up into the Evans' drive. Lily was asleep with her head on Severus' shoulder which ensured his almost painful alertness so as not to bump or jostle her. Petunia was yawning and blinking as she stumbled out of the car, absently wishing him goodnight. Severus held himself absolutely motionless as Mr. Evans gently lifted Lily out of the car.

"Will you be able to carry this all home, Severus?" Mrs. Evans asked softly. He watched until Lily's bright hair disappeared from sight before turning.

"Of course, Mrs. Evans," he replied respectfully.

She frowned, obviously not liking the idea. "Are you sure? I could easily give you a lift home, no trouble."

Severus shook his head and started gathering up his stuff. "It's really not that far Mrs. Evans and it's not that heavy," he lied. "Everything is in carrier bags anyway." Seeing her skeptical look—pure Petunia!—he chanced a smile. She sighed and nodded. "Alright then," she said reluctantly, "but if you change your mind—"

"I won't," he told her. "Thanks for the lift, Mrs. Evans and please thank Mr. Evans again for the ice-cream." The look of pleased surprise warmed him even as it provided the distraction he needed to grab the last of his bags and stagger off before she could say anything else.

Naturally, he hadn't a chance of carrying it all home. Laden down as he was, he barely made it to the playground before dropping everything in relief. Casting furtive glances around, he stashed the bulk of his new possessions under the slide and carried the most important items home first. It took several trips but he eventually got everything packed into his mother's battered old trunk. It wasn't too difficult; his father was passed out on the couch snoring fit to raise the dead. Judging from the amount of empty bottles, his mother had obviously told him where he'd been. He shuddered. He'd have to avoid the house for a while, especially now he'd got his wand. His last defense, as pathetic as it'd been, was gone now and his father knew it.

He didn't see his mother at all. He hoped she hadn't taken any pills but with the racket his father was making it was likely a futile wish. The last thing he put into his trunk before locking it securely to wait, untouched until September 1st, was the letter he'd brought to Gringotts.

He found it mildly ironic that he was so dependent on something that had caused so much heartache. That letter had been the beginning of the end, the death knell of his mother's love. Shaking the thought away, he focused on the events of the day instead and his two unlikely—dare he call them friends? Feeling slightly more cheerful, he reminded himself that he could use his bed tonight. By the sound of things, his father wouldn't be conscious 'til noon. He idly contemplated brewing some laxative and spiking his beer. After some consideration, he decided the idea had merit. Plotting and scheming, Severus Snape fell asleep with a smile.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please let me know what you think! :)**


	4. Hogwarts Express

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter world. Unfortunately…**

**A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed. Please let me know what you think of this story!**

* * *

><p>The day after their trip to London, the weather broke. Rain rattled against the windows, collecting in inch deep puddles. The sun didn't show its face for days. There was no sign of Severus either, not until almost two weeks afterwards when Lily's mother noticed a small form lurking about their front garden and let him in. Lily and Tuney weren't impressed <em>at all<em> with his vanishing act and weren't shy about showing it.

"Oh, so you've remembered us then?" Petunia asked snidely as he edged into the room. Severus stood stiffly by the door, clearly realizing how angry they were as Lily glowered at him, trying not to show how hurt she'd been when he disappeared without a word.

"Sorry," he muttered, "I was—"

"Unable to pick up a phone?" Tuney concluded derisively.

"It's disconnected," he said sullenly, abruptly finding the carpet fascinating. Petunia turned pink. Seeing how miserable Severus looked, Lily felt her heart melt. She'd missed him desperately.

"So where were you then, Sev?" she asked lightly, breaking the awkward moment.

"Um, I was…sick," he said, sounding rather embarrassed.

"Oh." Lily felt awful. Now that she looked closer, she could see that he didn't look well, his face was pale and drawn and he held himself oddly, as if his bones pained him.

"Well, it would have been nice to know that _before_ we spent hours waiting around for you in the rain," Tuney mumbled and Lily knew she felt bad too.

That statement shocked Severus from his contemplation of the carpet. "You waited in the rain for me?" he repeated incredulously.

"We had coats," Lily assured him, misinterpreting his shock.

"Well, come in then," Tuney said impatiently. "Close out the door. We were just looking at our school books—have you checked out The Standard Book of Spells yet?"

"Of course, he hasn't Tuney," Lily said in exasperation as Sev sat carefully on the bed beside them. "He's been sick, remember?"

Petunia graciously offered to share hers and soon they were stretched out, skimming through different books and chatting idly. At one point, Lily nearly fell over the side when Tuney suddenly crowed in delight.

"Look at this, an actual _useful_ spell! Scourgify…" Lily smiled gratefully at Sev for steadying her before scrambling over to see.

"A cleaning spell?" she aked doubtfully.

"I could finally get rid of that horrible stain on the sofa!" Tuney gave her a pointed look and Lily cringed.

Her sister grabbed her wand. "Time to get some practice in," she declared cheerfully.

"No!"

Severus' yell made them turn in surprise. "Why not?" Tuney demanded, affronted.

"Because once you get a wand you're subject to the Restriction of Underage Magic Act," he explained glumly. "You can't use any magic outside Hogwarts or you'll get a letter from the Ministry."

"The Ministry of Magic?" Lily asked in shock, recalling what Sev had told them. Petunia dropped her wand immediately.

"Yeah. You could get expelled and your wand would be snapped," Severus said seriously. "You have to wait until you graduate."

"But how are we supposed to practice?" Tuney asked aghast.

"We're not," he told her firmly. "We'll learn as much as we can from the books and practice when we get there."

Lily nodded slowly. "I suppose that makes sense," she said reluctantly. "You might have set the sofa on fire or something, Tuney."

"I would not!" she retorted looking deeply offended but she didn't bring it up again, instead settling down with The Standard Book of Spells while Lily examined her Charms textbook, remembering what Ollivander had said about her wand. Severus, to no-one's surprise, buried himself in the Potions manual. They spent the day quietly, only interrupted by their mother's incessant hovering as she made up excuses to pass their room and glance in anxiously at an oblivious Severus, looking him over with worried eyes. Lily and Petunia rolled their eyes at her antics. They were only eleven!

* * *

><p>When the first of September dawned, Severus dragged his trunk to the playground where the Evans' were collecting him. He didn't know how he'd have made it to King's Cross if they hadn't offered him a lift. He'd been worried that he wouldn't be able to make it <em>this<em> far— his trunk was heavy, especially after his father's little 'talk'. That rain couldn't have come at a worse time. But apparently a few weeks spending every day at the Evans house getting regular meals had really helped. He suspected Mrs. Evans had a hand in the girls' sudden urge to spend every minute studying. If she'd been a Witch, she would have made a good Slytherin. She and her husband saw far more than he was comfortable with, but the fact that they actually worried about him felt good even as he waited for the other shoe to drop.

The honk of a horn knocked him out of his daze and almost headfirst off the monkey bars where he was perched. After he scrambled down, Mr. Evans helped him load his trunk into the car and flashed a grin at his attire. Severus couldn't resist the answering one that spread across his face. He was finally going to Hogwarts!

oOoOoOo

He got a few odd looks as they traversed King's Cross but Severus wasn't particularly bothered at the reactions of strangers to his unconventional school uniform. They'd have forgotten by tomorrow and he'd a feeling that he would have gotten more looks for worse reasons if he'd worn his muggle clothes instead. When it came time to slip through the barrier between platforms nine and ten, even Severus was a bit nervous; mostly at the thought of screwing up in front of the only people whose opinion he actually cared about. But Lily plunged ahead fearlessly, Severus only a step behind her while Petunia tried to maneuver her trolley to catch up.

Mr. and Mrs. Evans looked a bit green as they arrived on Platform 9 ¾. Walking through a solid wall didn't seem to agree with them.

"Oh wow…" Lily breathed beside him and Severus turned to see her staring at the magnificent scarlet steam engine waiting on the tracks. A sign above it proclaimed; _The Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock._ The platform was packed. Voices echoed around the station as friends met and parents said tearful goodbyes. The scrape of trunks and occasional protests from unfortunate cats and disgruntled owls could barely be heard above the babble. Mr. Evans took the lead as they cautiously made their way into the crowd, moving slowly as they pushed their unwieldy trolleys.

Severus hissed as Petunia gave him a sharp poke and indicated a beaming woman in a stuffed vulture hat giving last minute advice to a blue-eyed boy who looked as though he'd heard it all before. Tuney's evident horror at the woman's taste, or lack thereof, was priceless and he hastily turned his laugh into a cough before she noticed.

The first few carriages were already full of laughing students fighting loudly over seats so they pressed on until they found an empty compartment in the middle of the train. Severus helped Mr. Evans load the trunks and waited inside so the girls could say their goodbyes in private. Taking a seat by the window, he watched the mass of people meandering past. A sudden crack caught his attention and he saw two dark haired boys apologizing profusely to a thin sickly blond. His trunk had sprung open, scattering his belongings but the culprits raced around swiping things out from under people's feet, obviously intent on helping their accidental victim to gather up his stuff.

A glimmer caught his eye then and he saw an older boy with long bright hair and a Slytherin patch on his robes sneering at a round faced girl whose cheerful expression crumpled at whatever he said to her. With a final jeer, he stalked off towards the train and she stood staring after him for a moment before walking resolutely in the opposite direction, appearing not to notice the tears rolling down her cheeks. Unnerved, Severus searched until he found Lily's familiar red hair standing out like a jewel in the dull crowd. He'd seen a boy with similar hair earlier but his had been more orange when compared to Lily's true red.

With one last hug, she and Petunia disappeared into the train while Mr. Evans put a comforting arm around his wife as she dabbed her eyes. But by the time their daughters had reached the compartment to wave out the window, they were all smiles again. As the engine began to move off, promises to owl were exchanged with Lily hinting heavily that an owl of their own would make the process go far more smoothly, much to her parents' obvious amusement.

They had barely sat down, Lily settling beside Severus while Petunia sat across from them, leaning over to commiserate with Lily on yet another failure on the owl front, when the compartment door slid open with a bang and three laughing boys spilled in.

"Sorry, sorry!" the messy haired leader said, seeing their startled expressions. "Do you mind if we sit here?"

Without waiting for an answer he dropped into the seat beside Petunia who looked at him, scandalized. The other dark haired boy sprawled beside him and the pale honey blond perched nervously next to Lily. It wasn't until he saw the last boy that Severus recognized the group from the platform.

"I'm James Potter by the way," the vocal one continued, running a hand through his hair and adjusting his glasses to stop them slipping down his nose. "This," he indicated the grey eyed boy beside him, "is Sirius Black and that over there is Remus Lupin." Sirius grinned at them while Remus managed a shy hello.

"Hi there," Lily smiled. "I'm Lily Evans and this is my sister Petunia. And this," she pointed at Severus, "is our friend Sev!"

"Sev?" Sirius queried.

"Severus Snape," he replied, smirking as Lily flushed in embarrassment.

"So do you know what House you'll be in?" James asked eagerly.

Lily and Petunia exchanged a glance, clearly wondering if Severus had been wrong about the Hat. "No," Lily said cautiously and seemed about to say something else but James was already ploughing on.

"Well, no one really does, do they?" he said airily. "But I hope I'm in Gryffindor like my father—home of the brave and daring! Imagine being in Slytherin though, I think I'd have to leave!"

Severus stiffened slightly as Lily and Petunia cast him confused glances.

"My whole family has been in Slytherin," Sirius said morosely, unwittingly buying him time.

"What?" James exclaimed, leaning back in shock. "I thought you were all right!"

"Relax mate," Sirius said easily. "With any luck I'll be the one to break tradition."

"What's so wrong with being in Slytherin?" Lily demanded looking frustrated as Severus refused to meet her gaze.

James looked surprised for a moment before realization dawned. "Oh of course, you must be muggleborns right?"

Petunia glanced at him sharply. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well just that you don't know what evil gits the Slytherins are," he responded casually. "Everyone knows that they're all Dark Wizards in there."

"Ah, yes," Severus agreed wisely, "No wonder the Aurors are always so busy, despite knowing exactly where to look. Untrained children do make the most fearsome criminals, after all."

Lily eyes went wide and she choked. Petunia leaned over to slap her back, not quite managing to hide her own smile and Severus smirked in satisfaction as James turned tomato red. He deliberately hadn't mentioned Slytherin's dubious reputation, trying to stave off the inevitable for as long as possible. All of his mother's family had been Sorted there and he honestly couldn't see himself in any other House. However he found himself unwilling to give up this fledging friendship without a fight. Even though he knew it was probably futile in the long run, he wasn't going to sit idly by while some arrogant twit dripped his poison.

However Sirius leapt to his friend's aid. "Slytherins are a bunch of slippery, bigoted elitists!" he snapped. "Trust me, I _know_."

"It's true," James said seriously. "Their entire House is about blood supremacy. They don't even think that muggleborns like you guys should be allowed into Hogwarts!"

"And we won't even go into what they think of muggles," Sirius said darkly.

Lily and Petunia just stared at them in shock before Lily looked to Severus in mute appeal.

"That prejudice isn't just confined to Slytherin," Severus countered shooting the newcomers an acidic glare. "They're just the most vocal about it. But," he continued doggedly, turning to his shaken friends, "it's an outdated, idiotic view and its supporters are looking more inbred and ridiculous by the day. The important thing is talent, not blood."

He was rewarded with weak smiles. "Well, we'll know for sure what Slytherins are really like after the Sorting," Petunia said sensibly. "If Sev gets in then we'll know the _whole_ House isn't evil. After all, we're muggleborn and he certainly doesn't hate us!"

"Tuney, that's not funny!" Severus bit out feeling vaguely nauseated at the very idea. A niggling voice warned him that this might cause trouble later but he refused to even entertain the thought. He couldn't imagine anything inducing him to hate Tuney or Lily, not even House solidarity.

"Wait, you _want_ to be in Slytherin?" Sirius demanded disgustedly.

"It's the House I think will suit me best," Severus replied coolly. "Ultimately though, it'll be up to the Hat. It always is." He raised an eyebrow meaningfully and watched in satisfaction as the boy paled, clearly catching the dig. With a low growl, he slammed angrily out of the compartment.

"Sirius!" James raced after him without a backward glance. Remus made to follow but hesitated at the door.

"I don't really have a problem with Slytherins," he said quietly, "but I hate prejudice."

"You don't have to worry about that with any of us!" Lily said stoutly.

"I guess not," he replied with a small smile.

"Even if some Slytherins _are_ that narrow minded," Petunia challenged unexpectedly, "then doesn't tarring them all with the same brush make you just as bad?"

Severus looked at her in grateful surprise as Remus' amber eyes widened.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, "I've never actually thought of it that way before."

"Well maybe you should," Petunia said haughtily and Remus gave her an unreadable look before taking off after the others.

There was silence for a few moments before Lily turned to Severus. Now that they were alone, she allowed her insecurity to show. "Not having Wizarding blood, does it really make a difference?" she asked softly. Her green eyes pierced him, demanding the truth.

Severus felt a slow burn of anger that she even had to ask that question. Petunia huffed in apparent disgust but he saw her tense slightly, waiting for his answer.

"No," he replied adamantly, "it really doesn't." And he meant it.

oOoOoOo

The mood lightened considerably at the arrival of a smiling, dimpled woman accompanied by a trolley laden with sweets that followed her about like a puppy. Lily and Petunia pounced on it, utterly enthralled at the selection. By the time the second chocolate frog had escaped, the earlier unpleasantness had been completely forgotten.

Severus was just as giddy at the range of sweets as they were. Although he was able to warn them of the pitfalls of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and the realism of chocolate frogs, he'd never actually tasted them. His Dumbledore card had been a treasured discovery found wedged in the bottom of his Mum's old trunk when he was eight. So he took as much pleasure in gagging on an unfortunate bean and lunging after nimble chocolate amphibians as the girls did. He just hid it better.

The sudden influx of sugar caught Severus off guard and he found himself in a bean-eating competition with Lily (first one to retch lost) while Petunia cooed over her Agrippa card who was preening at the attention. Severus had just spat out an offal flavored bean with a yowl of disgust while Lily crowed in triumph and Petunia snorted pumpkin juice up her nose at his expression, when a blue-eyed boy with a strong jaw and a black cat draped across his shoulders poked his head around the door.

"Well this looks like a fun compartment," he said cheerfully as Petunia frantically wiped her dripping nose with a napkin. "Though you look a bit outnumbered mate," he observed, addressing Severus.

Whether it was the lighthearted atmosphere or just that he was doped up on sugar, Severus found himself instinctively liking this stranger. "I'm used to it," he said drolly, beckoning him in. "But another victim is always welcome," he added daringly, holding out the box of beans. Part of him expected to be shot down but the boy just grinned and took a seat beside Petunia who immediately stopped dabbing her nose and offered a hesitant smile.

"Frank Longbottom," he greeted them and nodded to each as they reciprocated. "This is Archimedes," he told them indicating the cat. "He's a lazy git, can't be bothered walking." His tone was dismissive but Severus saw how his eyes softened when the cat opened one eye and gave them all a bored glare.

"You named your cat after a nor—I mean a muggle?" Petunia asked in surprise.

Frank exchanged a knowing look with Severus. "That's what _you_ think," he said cryptically and Severus smirked at Tuney's dumbfounded expression. Lily covered her surprise a little better but before she could ask any questions, she found herself with a lapful of cat. Archimedes butted her hand demandingly and she hurriedly began to pet him as she caught a threatening glimpse of claws. Frank just smiled indulgently at this blatant coercion but Lily didn't seem to mind too much once the animal curled up and started purring so Severus released his surreptitious grip on his wand.

Frank, blissfully unaware that his beloved pet had come close to losing one of its nine lives, produced a pack of exploding snap and the rest of the trip passed with shrieks of excitement and a few window-rattling explosions. When the train began to slow, Frank went to the bathrooms to change and Severus stepped outside to allow the girls to do the same. When Frank returned, he drew Severus further down the corridor and turned to him with a serious expression.

"Just a heads up," he said quietly. "I came down to your compartment because I heard a rumor that some Dark kid was in there."

Severus tensed. "And what did you find?" he challenged angrily.

Frank raised his hands in a calming gesture. "A friend, I hope," he replied seriously. "I just thought you should know that two guys called Potter and Black have a serious problem with you."

Severus snorted. "Figures," he said derisively. He wished he could say he was surprised. "Wait a second," he said slowly, shooting Frank a disbelieving look. "Hearing I was some kind of unstable, curse-happy psycho, naturally you not _only_ waltzed right up and stuck your head into my line of sight but you actually _ate_ the sweets I gave you?"

At Severus' incredulous expression, Frank ducked his head sheepishly and shuffled his feet. "Um..."

"Unbelievable!" Severus muttered. "Bet a galleon you're Gryffindor."

Frank grinned in delight. "You think so?" he asked hopefully. "My mother was one. She's an Auror, you know."

As far as Severus was concerned, that explained a lot. He rolled his eyes but before he could give that comment the scathing response it deserved, Petunia stuck her head out the door and informed them it was safe to go back in. Frank moved to head back but Severus grabbed his arm before releasing it as if scalded. He didn't really do physical contact much, although Lily and Tuney were slowly wriggling their way inside his comfort zone. But it was enough to make Frank look back with a quizzical expression.

Severus scowled but knew the boy deserved it. He hadn't had to warn him about those rumor-mongering idiots, after all. "Thanks," he growled to his feet. "You didn't have to tell me."

He looked up in time to see Frank stifle a smile. "No problem, Severus," he replied sincerely. "Your people skills may suck, but you're definitely not Dark!" Severus watched him disappear back into the compartment and felt a foreign squirm of guilt in his stomach. Frank would never say that if he knew the kind of curses Severus had eagerly absorbed from his mother's more disturbing texts.

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><p><strong>Please review and give me your opinions! :)<strong>


	5. Sorting

**Disclaimer: Nothing recognizable is mine. All the weird stuff however… :P**

**A/N: Sorting-I actually wrote a song! Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>After the boys rejoined them, Petunia scowled as Severus tossed Frank the mostly untouched bag of ice mice. She winced at the accompanying squeaks as he bit the head off one and chewed happily, oblivious to her discomfort. She glared at Severus who gazed back innocently. With an injured sniff she looked out the window to see it was getting dark. She caught glimpses of mountains and trees as they rushed past.<p>

Lily grabbed her arm, quivering with barely suppressed anticipation as a voice echoed through the train. "We are approaching Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please leave your luggage on the train and prepare to disembark."

Petunia's stomach rolled with nerves as Severus opened the door and Frank pocketed the ice mice. She felt slightly better when Lily linked their arms as they stepped into the rapidly filling corridor. The train slowed further before gently pulling to a stop and students immediately began pushing their way to the doors. Lily and Petunia clung to each other as the human tide spilled them out onto a tiny, dark platform. In the confusion they lost sight of Sev and Lily's dismayed expression mirrored her own feelings exactly.

Despite being younger than her, Severus possessed the calm, unruffled air of someone far older. Well, unless provoked or hyped on sugar. But she was used to him having all the answers. Everything felt a lot more daunting without his familiar presence beside them. She felt Lily press closer as a bobbing light came into view, revealing a massive hulk of a man carrying a lamp.

"Firs' years!" he bellowed and Petunia jumped. "Firs' years, over here!"

She and Lily cautiously made their way to the small group forming around the man as the bulk of the students headed in the other direction. The man was even bigger up close, with wild black hair and a bushy beard.

"C'mon, follow me," he ordered, "any more firs' years? Mind yer step now! Firs' years follow me!"

"Lily, Tuney!" A breathless Severus appeared beside them and without having to discuss it, Lily and Petunia let go of each other and latched onto his arms. He immediately tensed up and Petunia almost laughed at his bewildered expression. A low chuckle to her right alerted her to Frank who was staring at Severus' reddening face with amusement.

"Seems you've got a pair of lemmings, Sev," he laughed. Instead of letting go, Petunia found herself clinging tighter. She'd have time for pride later. Lily stuck her tongue out at Frank as they began to move. Severus' face was on fire but despite his obvious discomfort, he didn't shake them off. Petunia was grateful.

Their group followed the giant down a slippery path surrounded by dense trees on either side. Severus had a fierce look of concentration as he took careful steps over the treacherous wet leaves blanketing the trail. With her and Lily hanging off him, if he slipped he'd take them both with him. Petunia found herself warmed again by his consideration. It was hard to believe that she'd once deemed him worthless based purely on his address. Looking back, she was more than a little ashamed of herself.

The booming voice rang out again, bringing her back to the present with a jolt. "Yeh'll get yer first sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," their guide called back over his shoulder as they turned a bend. A chorus of 'Ooooohs' went up as the narrow path opened suddenly onto the edge of a black lake. Across the expanse of water, a castle with many turrets and towers sat proudly upon a high mountain, its brightly lit windows shining out in welcome.

"No more'n four to a boat!" he called again, waving an enormous hand at a fleet of small boats bobbing by the shore. The crowd scattered, clumping into small groups. Frank reached a boat first and kept it until they reached him. Lily and Petunia finally had to let go of Severus who looked relieved, taking a seat beside Frank as Lily sat beside Petunia. All around them, people were scrambling into boats while a few wandered around dejectedly looking for an empty spot. Petunia caught a glimpse of the obnoxious boys who'd burst into their compartment earlier sitting in a boat with a small pudgy boy and hurriedly looked away. They were far too antagonistic and belligerent for her tastes. She hoped they wouldn't be in the same House.

"Everyone in?" shouted their guide, who was balanced precariously in a boat by himself. "Right then—FORWARD!" he commanded and all the boats moved off at once, gliding smoothly across water as still as glass.

The ride was mostly silent, everyone staring transfixed at the castle above them. Lily trailed a hand in the cool water of the lake and Petunia was tempted to do the same but thought better of it when she saw a tentacle break the surface not far from their boat. As they drew closer, the castle towered over them and the boats angled towards the cliff.

"Heads down!" the man yelled as the first boats seemed about to collide with it. Everyone ducked their heads obediently as they were carried through a curtain of ivy which hid a dank tunnel that seemed to lead right underneath the castle. Eventually they ran aground on an underground shore and staggered out onto a beach of rocks and pebbles. They were led up a passageway, almost running at times to keep the weaving lamp in sight and emerged at last to a perfectly manicured lawn in the shadow of the castle.

After climbing a flight of stone steps, they gathered around a massive oak door that even dwarfed their guide as looked them over appraisingly.

"Everyone here?"

At the mumbled confirmation, he grinned widely and in the light from the windows, Petunia finally saw gentle beetle black eyes regarding them kindly. She unwound enough to smile back before he raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the heavy wooden door.

oOoOoOo

They were met by the familiar stern visage of Professor McGonagall who swept them through an Entrance hall that could easily have engulfed the Evans home twice over and past a magnificent marble staircase, to deposit them in a small empty chamber. They clustered nervously together as she began to speak.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," she said brusquely. "The start-of-term banquet is about to begin but before that you will be Sorted into Houses. The Sorting Ceremony is very important and I expect it to be treated as such." She took a moment to glare a boisterous James Potter into submission before continuing. "Your House will be like your family here at Hogwarts. You will eat with them, sleep with them and have classes with them."

"It seems to me that you might get a little sick of them," Lily whispered and Petunia shushed her, listening intently.

"The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each House has a noble history and produced many exceptional Witches and Wizards." Petunia nodded, already aware of this.

Professor McGonagall looked severely at them all. "While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your House points but any rule-breaking and you will lose them. At the end of every year the House Cup is awarded to the House with the most points. It is a great honour to win. I hope that each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours."

Lily bounced in excitement next to her. "The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly," Professor McGonagall informed them. "I advise that you use this time to smarten yourselves up." Her gaze lingered disapprovingly on Archimedes who'd refused to be left behind, now perched stubbornly on Frank's shoulder before moving to glare at the rat's nest masquerading as James Potter's hair. Petunia's hands fluttered automatically to her own blonde hair.

As the professor left, a buzz of whispers broke out. Petunia overheard some students panicking over the Sorting, wondering how it would be decided and what they would have to do. She felt a little smug with her insider knowledge and felt a renewed rush of gratitude for Sev. A sudden shout went up and she grabbed the nearest arm as four silvery forms drifted towards them.

"Relax," Frank said soothingly, flexing his arm in her vice-like grip, "it's just the House ghosts come to inspect the new students."

Petunia stared with wide eyes at the translucent gentleman in a ruff speaking to a disinterested haughty ghost, whose sweeping dress trailed through a few people causing them to leap back, shivering.

"Well, hello there," a fat cheerful monk said, beaming down at them from where he was hovering a foot above their heads. Petunia very carefully didn't look up. Even if he was a ghost, he was wearing a robe and she wasn't sure what she'd see. Starting off the term with a dead faint probably wouldn't give the best impression.

"It looks like a fine group this year, doesn't it Baron?" he called over to the last ghost. Petunia looked over and gasped. An aristocratic portly ghost with cold eyes stared until the monk began to fidget, before giving a curt nod of agreement and floating away through the nearest wall. Petunia shuddered. His fine clothes had been soaked with ghostly silver blood.

The monk smiled bravely again. "Don't mind the Baron, children," he said kindly. "He's like that with everyone. Are you all looking forward to your Sorting?"

A few mute nods were the only answer he received as the other two ghosts joined him but he didn't seem to mind.

"Well I hope to see some of you in Gryffindor," the ghost with the ruff declared pompously. "My old House, you know!"

"Or Hufflepuff!" the monk chimed in to his companion's annoyance.

"Thank you, Friar," Professor McGonagall said firmly, re-entering the room. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin," she announced, a pointed look dispersing their visitors. "Now," she said briskly, "form a line and follow me."

Petunia ended up behind Severus with Lily in front of him. She knew Frank was behind her because she could hear Archimedes purring encouragingly. They walked out of the room, back across the Entrance hall and through a pair of imposing double doors into the Great Hall.

The first thing she did was look for the ceiling. It wasn't there. Starlight filtered down from a black velvet sky, the crescent moon just beginning to rise. Severus had been right. Despite knowing that the ceiling was bewitched to mirror the sky outside, she honestly couldn't tell the difference. Her breath hitched as she gazed up in wonder. No matter what happened in the future, Petunia knew now that she could never regret this choice. Dragging her eyes back to earth, she examined the rest of the Hall.

Thousands of candles floated above the four House tables where the rest of the students looked on with interest. The goblets and plates shone a pure gold as they passed, making their way towards the head table where the teachers were sitting. They stopped there, facing the mass of students, with the occasional glimmer of silver when a ghost caught the candlelight.

Feeling all those eyes boring into her, Petunia shifted uneasily casting a worried glance at Lily and Severus. She wasn't sure if she felt better or worse when she saw that their earlier enthusiasm had faded, leaving them both grey faced and clutching each other's hands tightly behind their backs. Petunia's own hands felt clammy and she automatically rubbed them on her robes as Professor McGonagall silently placed a stool in front of them. Frank swallowed dryly on her other side.

On top of the stool, McGonagall reverently placed a pointed Wizard's hat. Petunia had to force herself not to sneer. It was a pathetic piece of tat. It was worn and patched, discolored with the accumulated dirt of centuries. She couldn't help marveling at the fact that the Wizarding world let their treasures fall into such disrepair. Or was it that they hid them in plain sight?

Realizing that the scorching feeling of being stared at was missing, Petunia looked up to see the entire hall focused on the Hat. She shot a questioning glance at Severus who was staring at the ragged hat in…anticipation? Lily shrugged uneasily at her silent enquiry and they both glanced warily back to the stool in time to see the hat twitch and a tear near the brim open wide like a mouth. Then it started to sing.

_A thousand years or so ago,_

_In our earliest history,_

_Four great Wizards came together_

_Though their origins are a mystery._

_o_

_They shared a common purpose,_

_They wished to build a school_

_To educate magical children,_

_Safe away from muggle rule._

_o_

_But who would Sort the students,_

_When they were dead and gone,_

_For each used different traits_

_To separate the throng._

_o_

_Brave Gryffindor was fearless_

_And valued courage most,_

_Knowing it was something rare_

_Not everyone could boast._

_o_

_Then there was studious Ravenclaw,_

_Who favored wit and learning,_

_She made sure her House supplied_

_Knowledge to those yearning._

_o_

_Hard working Hufflepuff,_

_Prized those who kept their word,_

_To her, loyalty was sticking by your friends,_

_No matter what you heard._

_o_

_Lastly there was Slytherin,_

_Who preferred to give his blessing_

_To the shrewd and the cunning,_

_Who kept the others guessing._

_o_

_In the end it was decided_

_To create a Sorting Hat,_

_Into me they put their hopes_

_So pop me on, we'll have a chat!_

_o_

_I'll soon discover,_

_The place where you belong_

_So put me on, don't be afraid,_

_I've never yet been wrong!_

_o_

The hall erupted in applause as Lily and Petunia turned on Sev who just grinned and mouthed, "Surprise!" He got a punch on each arm for that. Frank just shook his head at their antics and reached up to soothe Archimedes. The sudden cheering had startled him into sinking his claws into his unfortunate owner's neck.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long roll of parchment and the sudden levity evaporated. Petunia felt the force of the hall's collective gaze weighing down on her again and focused on trying not to embarrass herself. What if she didn't fit in any House? She was still fretting when the Sorting began.

"Abbott, Martin!" Professor McGonagall called. A lanky boy, all elbows and knees, scuttled forward and sat down. The professor placed the hat on his head. It fell right down over his eyes but he made no move to correct it. There was a tense silence for a moment, then: "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right clapped and cheered as Martin staggered over in weak-kneed relief and collapsed into a chair. The Fat Friar waved merrily at him.

"Avery, Thomas!"

SLYTHERIN!

"Black, Sirius!"

Sirius swaggered confidently up to the stool and slipped on the hat. It was quiet for several moments this time before yelling: GRYFFINDOR!

Sirius jumped off the stool with a whoop of joy as the table on the far left exploded with cheers. As he passed another table, a brunette with heavy lidded eyes hissed something at him but he simply responded with a mocking salute before joining his new House.

'Bones, Amelia' became another Hufflepuff while 'Brocklehurst, Geoffery' was the first Ravenclaw.

"Evans, Lily!"

Lily reluctantly let go of Severus and gave Petunia a wobbly smile. The hat didn't deliberate very long before it screamed out: GRYFFINDOR!

Lily jumped off the stool with a wide smile, waving to them as she ran to the Gryffindor table. And then Petunia's time was up.

"Evans, Petunia!"

She approached the stool as if heading to her execution and winced as the filthy hat slid over her head.

_Well, I like that! _an offended voice said in her ear. _You try hanging around for a thousand years and see what _you_ look like!_

Sorry, Petunia thought awkwardly.

_Yes well, I suppose you're young yet, _the hat allowed grudgingly. _Now, let's see…_

Petunia waited on tenterhooks as the hat hummed and hawed. _Ah, another Evans! But not, I think, suited for Gryffindor. You tend to over-think things a little too much. Not Slytherin material either I see. Hmm…loyal, though and you do believe in hard work—oh wait… What's this then? A vow?_

Petunia squirmed as she realized what the hat was referring to. Privacy was obviously a foreign it paid no attention to her attempts at deflection and carried on relentlessly.

_Don't like being in the dark, I see. And quite a sharp mind, especially if you opened it up a little, though I notice progress has been made recently. Yes…I know just the House to help with that! You could really be something, you know. And you'll get all the help you need in—_

RAVENCLAW!

All of a sudden the world flooded back as the hat was pulled off her head. She stumbled to her feet amid uproarious applause from the Ravenclaw table. Severus gave her a small smile as she made her way automatically to her new House and sat down dazedly. Lily waved wildly from the Gryffindor table. The Sorting progressed rapidly as she was welcomed by her new housemates. _'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure'_ was inscribed under the Ravenclaw banner and she felt a warm glow of pride. She couldn't wait to tell her parents that she got into the 'intelligent' House!

"Longbottom, Frank!" brought her attention back to matters at hand. Frank sat on the stool but as Professor McGonagall tried to lower the hat, Archimedes hissed and batted at it in annoyance. Laughter rippled through the students, much to Frank's obvious mortification as he tried futilely to calm his irate pet. In the end, McGonagall grabbed it by the scruff and hissed back at it, dropping the hat safely on Frank's head while it was distracted.

At the resulting GRYFFINDOR! she shoved the befuddled animal into his owner's arms as he made his way down to sit beside a beaming Lily.

'Lovegood, Xenophilius' became another Ravenclaw and the silver eyed boy wandered over to their table with an abstracted expression.

After several long moments, Remus Lupin ended up in Gryffindor and 'MacDonald, Mary' quickly followed him while 'Mulciber, David' joined the Slytherins.

"Nesbit, Alice!" A round faced girl ran to the stool, casting a shy look at the Gryffindor table. Petunia followed her gaze to Frank's sandy head as he sat talking to Lily and Mary MacDonald with Archimedes on his lap, totally oblivious to the dried blood on his neck and the girl's worshipful stare. The hat took a while to decide before declaring her a Hufflepuff.

'Nott, Theodore' went to Slytherin and the hat barely touched James Potter's head before screaming Gryffindor.

'Rosier, Evan' joined the Slytherin table and then it was finally Severus' turn. All traces of his earlier nerves had vanished and he approached the stool with opaque eyes. Petunia jittered impatiently as the hat was lowered and looked over to see Lily biting her nails anxiously. Finally the verdict was: SLYTHERIN!

Petunia clapped until her hands were sore as Severus went to his table with a pleased grin where he was welcomed enthusiastically. After the Sorting ended and the Hat was carried away looking smug, a Wizard at the centre of the head table stood. Petunia recognized him immediately. Headmaster Dumbledore could hardly be mistaken for anyone else. He preformed the obligatory welcoming speech, warning that the Forbidden Forest actually _was_ forbidden and about the caretaker's list of banned items. However Petunia wasn't paying as much attention as she should've been as the Lovegood boy had picked up his golden plate and was waving it around in intricate patterns.

"Warding off Crinklenburds," he explained gravely, seeing her confused stare. "I wouldn't want to swallow any accidentally—they give terrible gas."

Petunia, having heard weirder things of late, followed suit until a second year who'd introduced himself earlier leaned over and stopped her.

"Watch out for him," he said, giving the boy a wary look. "That whole family is a bit…odd."

She had no time to reply, even to get embarrassed, as the empty dishes were suddenly filled with food. All around her students dug in happily and Lily caught her eye, flashing a delighted grin. At the Slytherin table, Severus was talking to a boy with hair like sunlight. Petunia helped herself to some food, falling into easy conversation and a feeling of contentment. She couldn't wait until tomorrow!

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><p><strong>AN: Please review—what do you think? Did you like the song? The Houses? Let me know! :)**


	6. Settling In

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter world or characters and yes, this repetition is killing me! :P**

**A/N: Seeing as this is an *AU*, I just want to point out that in my story, classes are **_**not**_** split up into groups of two Houses, but instead are arranged in mixed groups of all four Houses. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed and without further ado…the story. :)  
><strong>

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><p>Severus didn't enter the Hall for breakfast the next morning until he was sure that Lucius Malfoy and his entourage had already arrived. And even then he made sure to sit as far away as possible. His avoidance wasn't too noticeable; Malfoy was a second year and as such, out of his sphere. It didn't stop his dorm-mates from trying to attract his attention though, each desperate to make a favorable impression on the 'Slytherin Prince.' Even older students were deferential around the blond, despite the fact that he was merely a lowly second year. The Malfoy family was far too rich and influential to risk alienating.<p>

Severus however, was determined to keep his distance. He'd always known that pure blood was important in Slytherin but he hadn't realized just how all-encompassing the idea had become. When Malfoy had come to check his pedigree, he'd made it quite clear that he considered half-bloods to be inferior and muggleborns little better than animals. Luckily Severus had kept things vague, brushing off Malfoy's questions about his father and playing on his mother's lineage. If the self-crowned 'prince' of Slytherin had left with the idea that his father was a Wizard as well, it was entirely due to his own misconception. And far be it from Severus to correct royalty!

If his half-blood status should ever be revealed, he had a feeling that Malfoy—and by extension the rest of Slytherin House—wouldn't be nearly as welcoming. However after tactfully making it clear that his mother had married beneath her by not sticking to the elite, Severus had been deemed worthy of his Slytherin patch. He'd had to work extra hard not to let his derision crack his carefully constructed mask. The boy was obviously dangerously deluded if he truly believed that a twelve year old's opinion could overturn a decision by the Hogwarts Sorting Hat.

But Severus was well aware that his ruse, thin as it was, wouldn't stand up to close scrutiny—which was why he was steering clear of Lucius and his cronies. It shouldn't be too difficult if he kept his head down.

All of a sudden, laughter broke out and he wrenched himself from his thoughts, looking curiously for the source. Unable to find it, he noticed Potter and Black taking dramatic bows while the pudgy boy capered around them in delight. A glimmer of red caught his eye and he glanced around expecting to see Lily behind him.

The laughter grew louder and with a sick feeling he reached up and pulled a hank of hair forward. It was bright red with bits of gold shot through it. Anger and humiliation bubbled in his stomach and he clutched his wand, all the painful hexes he knew running through his mind. It was a long list. He finally saw Lily the lioness roaring at Potter, whose cocky grin was fading fast under the onslaught.

"Gryffindor's good for you, Snape," Black yelled to scattered cheers, "You almost look like you wouldn't crack a mirror now!"

Fury clouded his mind and he raised his wand, not even noticing the approaching teachers. One of the more imaginative hexes from his mother's Dark tome sprang to his tongue but just as he uttered the first syllable, a furious Petunia appeared at his side.

"Don't," she hissed, pushing down his wand. The laughter rang in his ears and he turned on her angrily, about to demand an explanation when he heard Sirius yelp. Frank was sitting calmly on his fellow Gryffindor, ignoring his outraged yells. Remus was standing beside him, apparently deaf to his friend's cries for assistance.

The laughter cut off as Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn arrived on the scene. One look at the situation apparently told her everything she needed to know. "Up, Longbottom!" she snapped and Frank reluctantly got off a wheezing Sirius. With a wave of her wand, Severus' garish hair was restored to normal.

"Potter, Black, detention." she said crisply. "I expected better. Classes haven't even started yet!"

"My dear Minerva," Slughorn blustered, "It's only their first day! That transfiguration was much too advanced! If it was really these boys…"

James beamed at the implied praise and high-fived Sirius. Lily and McGonagall shot identical arctic glares making James and Slughorn both quail.

"Perhaps so, but there is no denying that they _are_ the culprits," she said firmly. "And however impressive that display may have been, it was ruined by the manner of its demonstration."

Slughorn coughed as the Slytherins muttered restlessly. "Of course, of course," he agreed hurriedly. "I heartily concur. Most reprehensible!"

"Twenty points from Gryffindor and a detention with Mr. Filch," Professor McGonagall ordered, ignoring the collective groans from the table beside her. "It's disappointing to see my own House in negative points before the term has even properly begun."

Herding Slughorn in front of her, she swept away leaving James and Sirius gaping after her. "I can't believe she took points!" James said indignantly. "Her own House!"

Severus couldn't believe it either. Nothing he'd heard in the Slytherin common room indicated that the Head of Gryffindor was anything other than a dragon you _do not cross_. He hadn't expected her to be fair—especially to a Slytherin, let alone tell off another professor for praising her students. As Lily began to chew out James and Sirius, Petunia dragged him away from the group.

"Those idiots," she said huffily. "And everyone else thinking it was funny! I don't see what was so wonderful about making something change colour."

Severus smiled slightly as she rambled on about inconsiderate, juvenile buffoons. He could barely remember why he'd been so upset. The unfamiliar glow of having people defend him completely cancelled out his earlier embarrassment. He found he liked the feeling of having people covering his back, even as something inside him shrank back from it. In his experience, trust was just another word for stupid. But some tiny spark of optimism that he hadn't quite managed to stamp out yet insisted that maybe this time would be different.

* * *

><p>Hogwarts may be an utterly fantastic place where every glance revealed something new and marvelous, but it was also an absolute maze. The older students were no help, seeming to take a perverse pleasure in watching the little firsties stumble around while all the time claiming that it was an important rite of passage and it wouldn't be fair to interfere.<p>

Temperamental doors, staircases with vanishing steps or ones that led somewhere completely different on alternate Tuesdays—to say nothing of those that moved while you were still climbing, portraits that refused to stay in their frames and a poltergeist with a vicious sense of humour. Lily privately thought it was less of a maze and more of an obstacle course.

The fact that Sev and Frank got just as lost as she and Tuney was a salve to Lily's bruised pride. James Potter and company didn't seem to care that they ended up late and looking like idiots, the four threw themselves into exploration with enthusiasm, boasting that soon no-one would know more of the castle's secrets than they would. Lily thought that was a bit arrogant. Hogwarts appeared to have a personality of its own sometimes—a mischievous one at that. She doubted it'd be as easy to crack as those four clowns believed.

But they were right about one thing, getting lost _was_ an adventure. The castle was filled with incredible sights and many times they ended up far from where they wanted to go but too awed by their surroundings to care. The teachers apparently understood, for they were much more lenient when students stumbled into class late and panting during the first few weeks than Lily would have expected.

And what classes they were! Charms was first, taught by the diminutive Professor Flitwick. That he had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk quickly faded to insignificance when he animated the classroom furniture as a demonstration. Their task was a lot simpler; they just had to make a feather levitate. Unfortunately, simpler was a relative term. Hardly anyone got their feathers to move at all. Professor Flitwick assured them that it would take practice but that didn't make it any less frustrating. However, after an hour of failed attempts, Lily's feather finally zoomed towards the ceiling much to their professor's delight. Both Sev and Frank had got theirs to hover shakily above the table, though they couldn't work out how to get them higher. Potter's feather hadn't moved and Sirius somehow managed to set his on fire. As Lily made her feather swoop threateningly over Potter's head, Tuney poked her motionless feather with her wand and loudly declared that it was defective.

The four were together for every class and despite two being in different Houses, soon became inseparable. Lily had worried that she and Tuney would start to drift apart again and that Sev would be too preoccupied with his Slytherin housemates to pay a _girl_ much attention. Thankfully she'd been wrong on both fronts. While they appeared to get on well with their dorm-mates, there was no question of who their friends were.

Wednesdays at midnight found them at the top of the astronomy tower learning all about the night skies. Since it was two to a telescope, Lily went with Tuney and Frank with Sev as Professor Sinestra attempted to teach them the constant dance of the planets and the names of the stars and constellations that surrounded them, all while attempting to ensure that the Marauders didn't knock anyone to their death. Lily winced to think of that bunch. The_ 'Marauders'_ was her fault; it had been an insult that they instead chose to take as a compliment, one they now wore with pride. And while their pranks were admittedly funny, they skirted the edge of nastiness and sometimes bordered on dangerous. They were an entertaining group though and fast becoming the heroes of Gryffindor House. It was said that the infamous seventh year pranksters, Fabian and Gideon Prewitt had taken the four under their wing. Lily shuddered to think of the chaos that would bring.

Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses to study Herbology with Professor Sprout. The ever-cheerful Witch taught them the care and uses for all the strange magical plants and fungi. Petunia loved the class and quickly became Sprout's pet. Lily found it a little boring though she would never let on to Tuney and Severus was terrible at it, much to his dismay and their amusement.

Defense against the Dark Arts was interesting. They were learning about duels and defensive spells, which was where Frank really excelled considering his mother was an Auror. Curiously, Severus seemed to know a lot about the hypothetical spells that they'd be defending against even though their teacher hadn't covered them in any detail yet and wouldn't until they were in fourth year.

The most boring of all their classes was definitely History of Magic. Lily had been startled to see that it was taught by a ghost and consequently she, Frank and Sev had to force Tuney into the classroom. Even then she'd taken the back row, keeping as much distance between herself and the deceased professor as physically possible. However after that promising start, the class was coma-inducing. Even the ever-vigilant Petunia had to fight to keep her eyes open as Binns droned on about the Goblin wars.

Transfiguration was something Lily really looked forward to. Professor McGonagall opened by warning that her subject was a dangerous and complex branch of magic, making it quite clear that any messing around would be rewarded with a one way ticket out the door. Then she turned into a cat and back again. Sev's gasp of admiration made Lily smile as his black eyes shone with unguarded fascination. Everyone else was extremely impressed as well and dying to get started but they soon realized they wouldn't be doing anything like that anytime soon. After writing notes until her wrist ached, they were each presented with a matchstick and instructed to transfigure it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only two people had made any change to their matches. James Potter and—to her surprise—Petunia, who glowed with pride when McGonagall awarded them both ten points and a rare smile.

By Friday, Lily finally made it down to the Great Hall without getting lost once, despite Peeves' attempts to distract her. She also had learned that in spite of being incorporeal, it was actually possible to hex ghosts—or at least poltergeists. Waving to Sev and Petunia as she passed, she took a seat between Frank and Remus Lupin.

"Took you long enough," Frank remarked buttering his toast. "Did you get lost again?"

"Not today!" she returned triumphantly. "I just had a bit of a Peeves problem. Are we still meeting in the library later?"

"Of course," he replied, taking a bite. "All this homework isn't good for me. But on the upside, it's just Potions and then Flying lessons are next," he said with a hint of excitement. "I can't wait to get on a broom again! It's been torture not being able to go up and clear my head."

Lily tried not to let her worry show. "Tuney and I have never even _seen_ a broom and I doubt Severus has been on one either, living in a muggle neighbourhood."

"Best feeling in the world," Frank said, enthusiastically spraying crumbs. "Nothing like it! You'll love it, Lily, I promise."

Before she could explain she was more worried about making a fool of herself than the actual flying, a rush of wings interrupted her as a flood of owls swooped into the Hall.

"Ah, the post!" Frank said delightedly as a tawny dropped a letter on his lap. Lily craned her neck and saw Tuney and Sev had got one too. A school owl deposited hers and she ripped it open eagerly, grinning as she read her parents' congratulations.

"Well, mother's pleased I'm in Gryffindor," Frank said proudly, scanning his own letter. It was more of an essay really. Frank's parents' obviously missed him a great deal. Lily looked over to see Tuney's bright smile and glanced at Severus in time to see him crumple his post and stuff it angrily into his bag. She frowned but before she could wonder too much, the food disappeared.

"My breakfast!" Lily wailed and Frank laughed at her doleful expression.

"Well next time, don't be late!" he lectured, completely unmoved by her plight.

Whistling he got up and made his way towards Petunia who was waiting impatiently by the door. Lily cast a last mournful look at her empty plate before sighing. She'd just grabbed her bag when a delectable bacon sandwich was dangled in front of her nose. Turning she saw Severus raise an eyebrow.

"I see someone was late," he remarked lightly, as she followed the food with hungry eyes. "Guess you'll have to get up on time anymore!"

Lily moaned pathetically at the thought. She really wasn't a morning person. She reached for the gift. "Thanks Sev!" Lily said gratefully.

"Who said it was for you?" he asked teasingly, moving the tasty morsel out of reach. "I just got too distracted by watching you lose your breakfast to finish mine. But I guess I'll give it to you if…"

"If what?" she asked warily.

"If…you partner me in Potions," Lily frowned, knowing that was already the plan. She waited suspiciously. "And let me do things _my_ way."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "We just have to follow a recipe, Sev," she reminded him fondly. "There _is_ only one way, remember?"

He just waved the sandwich temptingly again, the smell making her mouth water. She caved.

"Fine," she whined, "but I'm hungry Sev so—" He gave her the food and they joined their curious friends with Lily happily munching her elusive breakfast, before heading to the Potions classroom.

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><p><strong>Potions class next…and then flying. *cackles evilly* Please review! I want to know what you think! :)<strong>


	7. Flying Fiasco

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot!**

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed—you guys are amazing! ;)**

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><p>The Potions classroom was in the dungeons, right on the border of Slytherin territory. Severus led them inside, making a beeline for the front bench on the left side of the room. Lily dutifully followed while Tuney and Frank conferred. They ended up taking a middle one on the right-hand side. As their fellow students squabbled over benches and rushed around to find partners, Lily watched Severus carefully as he set up their cauldron with steady, practiced movements.<p>

Something was troubling him. He hid it well but Lily had been devoting a good deal of her time to trying to decipher her friend's mercurial moods. She couldn't claim much credit this time though; his mixture of distress and anger was clearly visible now he'd stopped teasing her with food. As if sensing her gaze, he glanced up from his textbook where he'd been scribbling violently all over today's lesson.

"Is everything all right, Lily?"

She resisted the urge to sigh. Typical Severus. "You tell me, Sev," she said gently, hoping he wouldn't clam up. He stiffened slightly, returning to his book.

"I don't know what you mean," he responded, his eyes not moving as he pretended to read. "Slughorn will be in soon, have you—?"

"Severus," Lily said firmly. "Something is bothering you and I want you to tell me what it is. We're friends aren't we? I might be able to help."

He huffed a laugh and Lily flinched at the bitterness it contained.

"Thanks Lily," he said quietly, "but this isn't anything that can be fixed. Not even by you."

She stared at his sorrowful dark eyes and felt her heart lurch. He looked back at her and as he did, something changed behind his gaze, something softened and his unyielding expression faded into wariness. He slowly pulled a scrap of paper from his bag, his eyes never leaving hers and Lily's breath caught at what she saw there. Severus had decided to trust her—with this at least.

She accepted the crumpled ball and smoothed it open.

"I sent my mother a letter as well," Sev explained tonelessly. "Things haven't been good between us in the last few years and I thought if she saw I was a Slytherin; that I'd gotten into her old House…" He trailed off and tried to shrug indifferently. Lily looked down at the paper, noticing for the first time that it wasn't even a proper sheet, just a torn scrap of faded, yellowing newspaper. One sentence was all that adorned it, glaring up at her in blue ballpoint.

_Don't write again—you know your father hates owls._

She had to read it twice more before the cruel dismissal began to sink in. She couldn't imagine her own mother treating her in this way and for Severus especially, who almost never reached out to anyone… Abruptly she was furious at the woman. How could she do this to her own child—to Sev? She should be proud to have a son like him!

Severus' face was taut as he watched her out of the corner of his eye and his shoulders were hunched. Lily shook her head, trying not to cry. Surely he didn't think she would abandon him like his horrible mother? He was her best friend!

"She's stupid, Severus," Lily whispered fiercely, mindful of the cheerful chaos around them. "She might not care but we do—me and Tuney and Frank! And not just us," she dug around in her bag until she found her own letter and pulled it out. "My Mum and Dad were asking about you too."

She shoved her letter towards him, indicating the third paragraph that was dedicated solely to questions about him. She expected him to be happy at the evidence that _someone_ parental cared, but to her confusion, she just saw hastily hidden sadness and a trace of pain. He slid it back to her and offered a small smile.

"Thanks, Lily."

She took it wordlessly, wondering what she'd done wrong when Professor Slughorn finally swept into the room, fifteen minutes late. "Welcome, welcome!" he said, beaming around at them all. "Let's see what new talent we have this year, hmm?"

Petunia had assumed that Potions would be similar to cooking which she was reasonably good at. However, after a harrowing twenty minute safety lecture she realized it was more like chemistry. i.e. potentially explosive and where your skin boiling off constitutes a _good_ day. More than one person looked a little green by the end. Petunia suspected she was one of them.

They were starting off with a simple boil cure potion. Frank headed off to the ingredients cupboard while she lit the flame beneath their cauldron. As he returned, a familiar little Hufflepuff girl knocked over her bottle of porcupine quills and blushed like the setting sun when he stopped and helped her gather them up.

"Do you know that girl?" Petunia whispered curiously as they weighed their dried nettles.

"Hm? Oh, Alice? Not really. I met her on the train; some bully had made her cry." He shook his head in disgust. "On her first day too. Why?"

Petunia pretended to be engrossed in stewing the slugs, despite the smell. "Oh, no reason," she choked, as she failed to dodge a billow of foul smelling steam. Still, it was better than telling Frank that whatever he'd said to cheer Alice up had gained him a faithful and devoted admirer. Knowing him, he'd think she was being absurd and end up confronting the poor girl about it. Petunia knew better than to get involved. Hopefully Alice would either get over her crush soon or learn to tone it down a bit.

"What on earth is that idiot doing?" Frank's incredulous tone made her look up in surprise. "Wasn't he listening to Slugorn at all? I thought he was supposed to be _good_ at Potions!"

She followed his fearful gaze to Severus and Lily's table in time to see him direct her sister to crush the nettles instead of chop. She felt a frisson of unease but reminded herself that Severus had been brewing successfully since he was seven. Or so he'd said.

She and Frank kept an increasingly worried eye on their friends as the lesson progressed. Their own potion suffered but neither could bring themselves to care as they watched Sev throw in a counter-clockwise stir every so often when the instructions clearly called for ten clockwise stirs _only_.

Lily looked on edge but didn't object to Severus' requests and Petunia's heart was in her mouth watching them. But by some miracle they didn't blow themselves up and at the end of the lesson, she let out a relieved sigh and slumped back into her chair, feeling as though she'd been hit with a jelly-legs jinx. The finished potion was supposed to be a bright shimmering blue. Theirs was an unfortunate murky grey colour but Petunia noted that no-one else's was much better.

Except for Severus and Lily's; even from where she sat, Petunia could see the blue glow reflecting from the inside of their cauldron. Frank let out a low whistle as Slughorn gushed embarrassingly over the pair of them. Lily's awed joy and Severus' smug expression were bathed in the cerulean light their potion was giving off. Petunia was at a loss.

"He didn't follow the instructions," she said plaintively. "How come it didn't…?" She trailed off, not wanting to put it into words but Frank understood.

"Explode?" he finished lightly. "I have no idea. The only thing I can think of is that Sev is some kind of Potions prodigy." He snorted as if the very idea was ridiculous, but his eyes were thoughtful.

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><p>Severus was immensely pleased with the way things had turned out. He'd known that he could improve on the standard formula. Granted, his ideas had been mostly theoretical but then he'd always had to improvise back at Spinner's End. They hadn't the money for proper ingredients and even if they had, it would never be spent on freak things anyway. But now he <em>knew<em> he'd been right. It was a heady feeling. Lily had been nervous but she'd gamely kept her promise, allowing him to disregard several steps and augment others without complaint.

He was afraid that some of her cooperation might've had to do with the conversation before class but he really hoped he was wrong. He regretted showing her that letter now. It'd been a mistake and in a moment of weakness he'd let her see something even he didn't like to examine too closely. Pushing the distasteful subject from his mind, he focused on Slughorn's effusive praise and felt himself grinning. Potter and Black's gaping expressions of pure disbelief were just the icing on the cake.

Lily grinned back at him, her face flushed with pleasure and he felt again the delight at having those luminous green eyes focused solely on _him_. As the lesson broke up, they made their way over to Tuney and Frank who were finishing the last of their clean-up.

Petunia looked curious enough to burst. "How did you do that?" she demanded with a Ravenclaw's typical desire for answers.

"Instinct and common sense," he replied with a shrug, deliberately not mentioning the hours of poring over various old potions texts while hiding from his father. Lily looked impressed while Tuney's frustration could've boiled water.

"Well, never mind that now!" Frank admonished them, slinging his bag over his shoulder and herding them all towards the door. "We've got flying lessons next, so hurry up already!"

oOoOoOo

It was a clear, bright day as they made their way towards a smooth lawn on the opposite side of the grounds from the Forbidden Forest. Broomsticks lay in neat rows on the grass and students milled around examining them and talking in low excited voices. The Marauders were already there and Sirius Black and James Potter sneered at him as they approached.

"Don't know how you managed to pull that off in Potions, Snape," James said scornfully, "but you won't be able to cheat here."

Remus gave a fleeting apologetic look before turning to talk to Peter.

Severus' fists clenched involuntarily and he had to remind himself not to get so infuriated that he couldn't think. He wasn't going to let this be like last time. He could feel his friends gathering around him protectively and flashed a feral grin.

"Obviously your ego is so swollen that it crushes the few intelligent thoughts that manage to batter their way through that thick skull of yours," Severus retorted caustically. "Especially since you appear incapable of reaching the obvious conclusion—some people are just smarter than you Potter. In all honesty, it's not very hard."

The girls laughed and even Frank snorted, though he tried to make it sound like a cough. James' eyes widened in outrage but Sirius put a restraining hand on his arm as their teacher, a tall woman with short silver hair and golden eyes appeared.

"Leave it James," he murmured, glaring at Severus with undisguised loathing "We'll settle this later."

"Oh no, you won't," Frank said firmly. "Leave Severus alone."

"He's a Slytherin, Frank," Sirius warned forcefully, "He's going to turn on you eventually."

"Please Black," Severus snarled, "We all know you came within a hairs breath of being in my House yourself. You probably had to beg the Hat to put you in Gryffindor!"

Forgetting the teacher, Sirius threw himself forward with a roar only to be grabbed by Remus and James as Pettigrew hissed a warning. Severus didn't move a muscle, staring coolly at the enraged face only inches from his own.

"Well, well," he murmured softly, so only Sirius could hear. "Looks like I touched a nerve."

"What's going on here?" Madam Hooch demanded striding over.

At the mumbled 'nothings', she curtly directed them to their brooms. Severus caught a glimpse of Remus dragging his friends to the far side of the line.

"You don't take prisoners, Sev," Lily said, her eyebrows drawing together. "Was that last bit really necessary?"

"Don't be so naive Lily," Petunia butted in unexpectedly. "They're bullies!"

"He wouldn't have reacted so strongly if it wasn't true," Severus pointed out with a grateful look at Tuney. "I don't see why I have to put up with him taking his issues out on me."

"I suppose," Lily said reluctantly and Severus felt bad. Not bad enough to be sorry, just for upsetting Lily. She always stuck up for the underdog, even when it was Black who she didn't particularly like. He couldn't even resent it, since her soft heart was the only reason she'd let him near her to begin with.

"You shouldn't," Frank agreed, "but we'll probably have to be on guard against Marauder pranks for a while."

The confrontation was soon swept away by the prospect of flying. Madam Hooch made them stand by their brooms and attempt to summon them. Frank's leapt into his hand right away but it took the rest of them a few tries before succeeding. After they straddled the handles and Hooch corrected their positions, she gave them permission to hover.

Immediately, brooms began to rise and animated voices rang out around them. Frank zoomed up and performed a lazy loop of the class to much cheering before Madam Hooch ordered him down. But she was smiling slightly at his enthusiasm and 'forgot' to take points. Lily rose gracefully but stayed hovering as Severus made his wobbly way up next to her. When Frank joined them they began to gently coax Petunia up, while she eyed her broom with obvious distrust. After many reassurances and several bribes, she began to float haltingly upwards but just as she reached Severus, her broom went wild.

With a shrill scream, she careened away, hanging tightly to her bucking broomstick as it zigzagged violently before flying dizzyingly high. Laughter cut short as Madam Hooch began ordering students to descend. Severus gripped his broom handle and had to force himself not to go after his friend. His Slytherin practicality had kicked in with a vengeance, ruthlessly reminding him that he was barely hovering and a reckless stunt like that would probably result in him needing rescue too and splitting the Professor's focus. Petunia didn't need help like that.

Reluctantly, he returned to the ground with Lily and Frank. Far above them, Petunia's continuous screaming hit a new pitch as her broom flung her roughly from side to side, dodging Madam Hooch's attempts to pull her student to safety. A sudden scuffle drew his attention in time to see Remus pull free of his friends and bound to the middle of the field, wand drawn.

"Finite Incantatum!" he bellowed.

Petunia's broom stopped its wild bucking and Severus saw her pale, tear-streaked face for one frozen moment before it plummeted. The horrified shrieks that followed weren't just Lily's. Every student present cried out in shock as Tuney slipped through Madam Hooch's grasping fingers and landed with a thud and a sickening crack that made something inside Severus grow cold.

Lily screamed and ran towards her sister, he and Frank right behind her, but Madam Hooch got there first, conjuring a stretcher under Petunia's still body and levitating it.

"Stop right there, Miss. Evans," she commanded, her face parchment pale. "I'll get your sister to Madam Pomfrey. Remain here!"

Lily completely ignored her.

"Mr. Snape, Mr. Longbottom, if you would?"

Severus and Frank both grabbed Lily, wincing as she screamed and fought, trying desperately to follow her sister. When their professor and the stretcher moved out of sight, she slumped to the ground crying silently. The rest of the students formed a solemn circle around them. Severus wrapped his arms around Lily as she lay shuddering between him and Frank who was singing softly into her hair.

Severus couldn't tell if Tuney had been breathing or not.

Scanning his shell-shocked classmates he found the guilt stricken face of Remus Lupin.

_Guilt_.

"What did you do?"

His accusation was like a gunshot in the silence. Lily's head jerked up.

"The broom was jinxed," Severus said flatly, pieces coming together in his mind. "You knew to cast the counter-spell."

Lily began to tremble and Severus' arms tightened instinctively, as Frank breathed out a curse.

"Another Marauder _prank?_" he demanded furiously and Remus dropped his eyes from his fellow Gryffindor's.

"I didn't know," he whispered and murmurs erupted around them. "It wasn't meant for her."

Severus listened dispassionately to the shock around him and knew that no-one had really believed their beloved Marauders would do such a thing. He was a Slytherin after all. And he'd been closest. He realized absently that it was lucky for him Lupin was such a bleeding heart.

"Where are they?"

Everything stopped at Lily's ragged voice. Surreptitious looks were cast around for the perpetrators but they weren't to be found. Severus wasn't surprised. They were spared having to tell Lily as Madam Hooch arrived back, looking strained and a little out of breath.

"Miss. Evans, come with me if you would. The rest of you—dismissed."

The gathering broke up as Severus and Frank walked with Lily to follow Madam Hooch. He was aware of Remus trailing along after them but hadn't the energy to care. He couldn't get the image of Tuney hitting the ground out of his head, kept hearing that nauseating crack. He'd seen some horrible things living down Spinner's End but nothing had ever struck so close to home. He exchanged a hollow eyed look with Frank and they both instinctively moved closer to Lily, knowing they were thinking the same awful thought that lingered no matter how hard they tried to dismiss it.

_What if Petunia died?_

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><p><strong>AN: Dun, dun, DUN! Please let me know what you think!**

**Also, someone asked me if anyone knows of any fanart featuring Lily, Sev and Petunia together, be it from canon, another fic or someone's imagination. If anyone knows, PM me and I'll pass it on. Thanks! :)**


	8. Truth & Consequences

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter…or anyone else. Slavery is wrong! ****:P**

**A/N: Thank you to everyone to reviewed, favorited and put this story on alert. But especially the ones who reviewed. You guys are the best!**

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><p>The first thing that Petunia became aware of was white light against her eyelids. It was a soft comforting sort of light and she felt herself relax into warm sheets. Cracking open her sleep-encrusted eyes was difficult but she persevered, wanting to confirm what her other senses told her—that she was still alive. The Hospital Wing was quiet though she couldn't see much of it due to the curtains pulled around her bed. Petunia was thankful; the last thing she wanted was to be gawked at like some carnival attraction. Without thinking, she reached up to pat her disheveled blond hair but her customary nervous gesture was aborted when her arm twinged unpleasantly.<p>

Wincing she lowered it and stretched cautiously, checking for any other injuries. Her left leg cramped painfully and she gasped, tears springing to her eyes as a plump matronly woman bustled in carrying vials of potions.

"Awake already?"

Madam Pomfrey hurriedly gave her a small purple bottle and told her to drink. On hearing it was a painkilling potion Petunia downed it in one gulp, not even wrinkling her nose at the taste. The nurse continued to fuss as Petunia sighed in relief. The foul tasting concoction worked quickly. As the pain faded, she swore to herself that she was never going near another broomstick as long as she lived. When Pomfrey left to see to her other patients, she left a sleeping draught on the bedside locker which Petunia steadfastly ignored.

She knew if she went to sleep she'd have nightmares. Even now her mind shied away from remembering, just giving disjoined flashes of hurtling through the air, hanging on for dear life as the broom writhed like an angry serpent beneath her and then falling…and pain. Petunia whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut and pressing back against the nice, soft, _still_ bed. A sudden snuffling sound drew her attention and she glanced over to see three sleeping forms crammed onto a bench meant only for two.

The sight eased her burgeoning panic and she smiled slightly. They didn't look very comfortable, curled up together like a pile of puppies. She couldn't imagine how Severus had let himself be pulled in; he always got so awkward with even the most casual touch. But maybe they'd all been just as frightened as her. A warm feeling blossomed in her heart at the thought and she immediately berated herself for being happy that her sister and friends had been scared. As she mentally scolded herself, the curtain rustled and the amber-eyed Marauder poked his head in.

He examined her for a long moment before his shoulders slumped in relief. "You're all right—thank Merlin." Petunia squirmed a little under his intent gaze and wondered if she should be worried. She was in no condition to be pranked. But as he eased in silently, so as not to wake her friends, she relaxed a little. Out of all the Marauders he was the one she could tolerate the most. He was quiet, paid attention in class and unfailingly polite. However, she had absolutely no idea what he was doing here.

"You look better," he said much too heartily. "I guess Madam Pomfrey fixed you right up!"

Petunia just stared at him, trying to think of a way to ask why he was visiting her without sounding rude or ungrateful. Remus shifted uneasily under her gaze and dropped his eyes.

"Listen," he said quieter, "I just wanted to apologize for what happened."

"Apologize?" she repeated in surprise, "Why on earth would you need to do that? It's hardly your fault I couldn't control my broom." She winced as a little of the bitterness she was feeling seeped through. Remus gaped at her.

"Wha—no, it wasn't—I mean—"

Petunia rolled her eyes at his spluttered protestations. "Please," she said sourly, "I notice no-one _else_ managed to make a complete spectacle of their incompetence. I'm going to be a total laughing stock."

"No," Remus said firmly, grabbing her hand and shaking it slightly until she met his eyes. "Everyone knows it wasn't your fault, Petunia! The broom was jinxed."

It took her a moment to process this new snippet of information past the fact that a strange boy was holding her hand. Severus didn't really count after all. Fighting a blush, she went over what he'd said.

"A…a jinx?" she asked uncertainly, "And…does everyone know that?"

At his nod, tension she hadn't even been aware of fled and she took a shaky breath. "Good." Another thought intruded and she frowned. "But why would you apologize for…?" Her eyes widened and she wrenched her hand from his, staring at his guilty face in betrayal.

"But…why?"

At her strangled question he hunched his shoulders and stared at the floor. "It wasn't meant for you," he whispered. "It was an accident."

"And that makes it better?" Petunia hissed incredulously. "I could have _died!_"

His face paled further at the reminder but he said nothing.

"And what if it hadn't missed?" she demanded, "Would you be up here apologizing to your _intended_ target?"

"I didn't know what James and Sirius were planning!" he defended but his evasion was an answer in itself. "I was trying to help Peter stop his broom from rolling! I didn't know!"

"Then why are _you_ here? Where are _they?"_

Remus' defensiveness evaporated. "I mightn't have known about the prank but it's still my fault you fell." Seeing her confused expression, he elaborated. "I performed the counter-spell without considering that you didn't know how to fly. You have to _want_ it, or the broom won't respond. I doubt you wanted anything but to be back on solid ground. I was stupid."

Petunia's ire faded slightly. "Well at least you tried," she muttered, looking away from his remorseful expression. "Those two you call friends should be the ones in here. You wouldn't have had to perform a counter-anything if they'd just left me alone!"

"They weren't aiming for you," Remus attempted again.

"So what?" Petunia snapped. "They hit me. They shouldn't have been _aiming_ at anyone! Someone else might not have been so lucky!"

"Neither of them realized the spell would be so strong," he said beseechingly. "Sirius found it in an old book in his parents' library."

"And he's been just itching to try it ever since," she finished disgustedly. "And he has the nerve to call Severus a Dark Wizard! _He's_ never done anything like this."

"It was an accident," Remus insisted firmly. "Sirius isn't bad; he just doesn't think things through."

"And Potter? I suppose he was just so excited at a new prank that he forgot there was a person at the other end?" As Remus opened his mouth to deny it, Petunia narrowed her eyes threateningly. "Don't you dare defend them," she cried in outrage. "Their little joke could easily have killed me!" Remus tried to speak again but she'd had enough. Get out and don't come back!" she demanded harshly, glaring until he finally ducked his head and slipped out.

Breathing hard with fury she grabbed the sleeping draught and swallowed it quickly. If Remus persuaded Potter and Black to come and try to make peace, she didn't want to see them. She'd rather the nightmares. As her eyelids began to droop she glanced at her sleeping friends to see Severus' black eyes staring back at her. She watched fuzzily as he slipped his wand back into his sleeve and nodded to her before closing his eyes again in apparent sleep. As darkness crept up on her, Petunia had the comforting realization that she had at least one sentry to keep unwelcome visitors away.

* * *

><p>Severus, Lily and Frank stayed huddled by Petunia's bedside until Madam Pomfrey ran them out at curfew, despite Lily's tearful protests. However it appeared that Tuney was going to be fine and Madam Pomfrey promised that they could come back in the morning. Severus didn't tell the others about Remus' visit, he'd leave that up to Petunia. He was surprised the other boy had come at all really; he seemed genuinely sorry for his own role in the mess but refused to let Potter and Black own up to theirs. No wonder Petunia had kicked him out. Severus didn't understand a lot about social interaction but even he could see that hadn't been the smartest move. Begging for forgiveness whilst defending those who'd put her in hospital? Given the evidence, Severus had no choice but to conclude that Remus Lupin was an idiot. Though he <em>had<em> done his House proud with having the courage to admit what had happened and how he'd been involved. Severus couldn't help but notice and scorn the conspicuous absence of the other Marauders.

He wandered slowly through the halls heading back to his dorm, having separated from Frank and Lily at the Gryffindor portrait hole. He didn't really like being in Gryffindor territory but at least today he was generally left alone. Public opinion was more sympathetic despite the fact that he was a Slytherin. The lions were feeling guilty that some of their own had almost engineered his friend's death. She wasn't even a snake!

He was halfway to the dungeons when a curse hit the wall in front of him and he leapt backwards in time to see three boys appear out of thin air. Zeroing in on the silvery fabric pooling around their feet, Severus felt his breath catch in wonder and envy. _An invisibility cloak! _So that's how they'd been hiding.

"I'm surprised you three have the guts to show your face after the stunt you pulled," he stated coldly.

Peter quailed at his arctic tone but the others were too furious to care.

"Snape, you greasy bastard!" Sirius hissed, "This is all your fault!"

"You're the ones who nearly killed an innocent Ravenclaw," Severus responded blandly, "I hear Professor McGonagall is quite…_anxious_ to speak to you." He took vindictive pleasure in seeing Peter blanch. The other two paled but didn't back down.

"One you used as shield, you cowardly snake!" Potter spat. "You know we never intended to hurt her!"

Severus stiffened before he could stop himself, the implication he'd deliberately sacrifice Tuney to protect his own skin making him so angry he could barely breathe. He thought with longing of the curses he knew, his mother's books had been so informative and he'd been such an eager student. Curses to dissolve intestines, to boil blood in the victims veins, to cause their eyeballs to explode in their sockets…so many horrible ways to inflict pain and suffering, and these idiots just made it so tempting—only the threat of certain expulsion held him back.

Sirius had seen his flinch and jumped on the weakness. "Maybe it's just bad luck being around you, Snape," he taunted. "She'd never have gotten hurt if you hadn't been mixing with your betters!"

"Please," Severus scoffed getting himself back under control with difficulty. "Your whole family is in Slytherin! What does that say about you?"

"That he's different!" Potter snapped.

"It's because of them that I know what you lot are like!" Sirius snarled. "Lily and Frank are Gryffindors—they don't need slime like you corrupting them!"

"And the Ravenclaw would be fine if she hadn't got in the way!" Peter piped up, ducking back behind Potter when Severus glared.

"Well said, Peter," James praised and Severus hexed him before he could stop himself. Luckily he only used a simple stinging hex and not any of the darker ones that were currently circling his self-control like vultures. However it was enough to send Potter jumping backwards with a yelp of pain, colliding with Peter. The pair fell in a tangle of limbs as Sirius retaliated. But Severus had been expecting that and dodged fairly easily.

"So what you're saying," he said incredulously, successfully distracting them from further attacks, "is that because you lot are bullying cowards that attack three on one and usually from behind, I should give up my friends since I won't just stand still and let you do it?"

Sirius gave James a hand up, his steely grey eyes never leaving Severus' while Peter scrambled up on his own. "I've firsthand knowledge of Slytherins," he growled, "I _know_ what you're like. I know you're Dark—can you even deny it?"

Severus hesitated, just for a split second but it was enough.

"I knew it!" Potter cried triumphantly.

"You have issues with your family, Black?" Severus sneered, "Take it up with them and leave me the hell out of it! Isn't it enough that your bad aim nearly killed someone? You got lucky. But how long until your luck runs out and someone really gets hurt?" he demanded ominously.

"No, Snape," Sirius growled, leveling his wand at him. Potter followed suit while Peter just cowered behind them looking like he wished he was anywhere else. "_You_ got lucky. But we're going to expose you for what you really are!"

Severus raised a mocking eyebrow. "What?" he asked innocently, "Better than you?"

"You really think you're something, don't you?" Potter said in disgust. "You practically admitted to being Dark!"

"Practically is not admissible in court," Severus pointed out condescendingly. "And who made you judge, jury and executioner anyway? Honestly Potter, _I'm_ not the one going around committing attempted murder. That would be the vaunted _Marauders_," he purred. "You're well on your way to becoming Dark yourselves. How are you liking the view from this side of the line?"

Potter took a shocked step back, his eyes widening behind his glasses. Sirius gripped his shoulder, his face ashen. Apparently the truth was sinking in.

"You're scum, Snape," Potter spat shakily. "We'll never be like you!"

They left without a word after that, ignoring him completely, towing a confused Peter with them. Severus watched them go, a mixture of triumph and nausea churning in his gut.

Black's prejudice against Slytherins went deeper than he'd realized. Assuming that they were all Dark was a bit much. There were plenty in his House who'd never touched a Grimoire in their lives. Even he, despite his damning knowledge, wasn't completely corrupted. It was more accidental than anything, carelessness on his mother's part and a burning thirst for power and revenge on his. Tainted by association perhaps, but he hadn't been raised steeped in it like Malfoy or Sirius himself. Not totally pure but hardly evil either. Severus liked to consider himself more comfortably grey than anything.

However, it didn't change the fact that the Marauders would be gunning for him now. It was just his luck to attract the attention of an anti-Dark fanatic and an Auror's son with something to prove. Comparing them to him might buy a few weeks reprieve while they convinced themselves he was a slimy, lying Slytherin but ultimately, he'd declared himself their enemy. A student from any other House might decide to distance themselves from their friends to protect them from the repercussions that would surely follow.

But Severus was a Slytherin and proud of it. And the first rule of Slytherin House was, always take care of yourself first. And when it came down to it, he was too selfish to give them up. It's not like he'd have them for long anyway, was it so wrong to enjoy the ride while it lasted? Even if the Marauders didn't drive them away—and knowing the stubbornness of Gryffindors and the tenacity of Ravenclaw, he doubted they would—they'd eventually get too close, see too much. He wanted to believe that the Marauders were wrong about him, but it was difficult. Too many of the things they said echoed insults he'd had tossed in his face a million times before. Neither of his parents could stand him anymore either. Could so many different people really be wrong?

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><p><strong>AN: Please review. Feedback please!**


	9. Helping Petunia

**Disclaimer: No, I **_**still**_** don't own them. Sucks but it's true…**

**A/N: Right! The next chapter—hope you like it! ;)**

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><p>When the Marauders finally presented themselves at McGonagall's office for punishment, her thundering displeasure could be heard all the way down the hall. They each lost fifty points, except for Remus who was exempt due to his actions. However that was still one hundred and fifty points lost in one fell swoop, placing Gryffindor dead last in the race for the House Cup.<p>

None of their Housemates were pleased with their new ranking and there was zero tolerance for any kind of pranks, even the most harmless jokes. But despite the cold looks and disapproving glares, the Marauders refused to be cowed and set about reclaiming their audience's favor with vigour. Realizing that targeting other people would only serve as a potent reminder of their mistake; they pranked _themselves_ in the most outlandish and embarrassing ways possible, as penance.

The first week, their attempts were blanked with chilly indifference but seeing Sirius Black walking around with a donkey's tail and braying with every second word was hard to ignore. By the end of the second week, small guilty smiles were quickly rearranged into frowns as Remus Lupin spoke with a woman's voice and James Potter's hair fell to his heels, coloured a vivid, eye-smarting pink. During the third week, seeing Peter Pettigrew repeatedly hit the ceiling with levitating hiccoughs actually gained a few muffled laughs and the Marauders knew they were well on their way to being welcomed back into the fold.

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><p>Lily was oblivious to all of this. She was far too worried about Tuney to care about the Marauders social standing and she knew she wasn't alone. Both Sev and Frank were concerned as well. It wasn't the physical injuries, though they'd been many and severe—Lily thanked heaven for magic and Poppy Pomfrey, she was certain Petunia would never have survived otherwise. As it was, by the time the weekend was over, her sister had been up and walking around as if nothing had ever happened.<p>

At least physically.

Petunia had produced a note at their next flying lesson from Madam Pomfrey, excusing her from the class indefinitely. Hooch hadn't been very impressed but she hadn't argued either, allowing her to sit off to the side with her nose buried in a book while Lily swooped and soared with Sev and Frank. They tried to get her attention, waving madly or attempting stunts while calling for her to look but she didn't avert her gaze from the pages until everyone had landed safely. Lily had ran to hug her afterwards and discovered that she was trembling despite having been on solid ground the entire time.

Astronomy class had been just as worrying. Lily had to drag their telescope to the centre of the tower after Tuney went into hysterics at being so close to the edge. Severus had levitated it for her in the end, drily reminding her that she _was_ a Witch, while Frank attempted to comfort Petunia. The whole class had been staring and Lily remembered the burn of her checks as she guided her tearful sister back to their newly positioned telescope. Luckily Professor Sinestra understood and the Marauders had kept quiet as well, probably unwilling to draw attention to themselves.

oOoOoOo

"What are we going to do?" Lily groaned as Hufflepuff scored another goal. Severus' reply was lost in the cheer of the crowd but she saw his resigned shrug as he turned a pained face away from the celebrating students.

"I don't think there's much we _can_ do," Frank said sadly, once the noise had lowered from overpowering to simply deafening. "She can't stand heights; she can't even bear to watch _other_ people fly."

"Those stupid Marauders!" Lily growled angrily, "This is all their fault!"

Neither boy argued with her, it wasn't necessary—she knew they both agreed anyway. They watched the match in silence; Lily couldn't even summon up the proper excitement at seeing Quidditch for the first time. It was amazing and complex but she couldn't bring herself to care. After they'd dragged Tuney to the stands, choosing the lowest row and force feeding her a calming potion courtesy of Sev, to ensure she wouldn't be upset by being up so high—their plan to show her the good points of flying had failed dramatically. She had flinched at every dive and hairpin turn, covering her eyes whenever bludgers almost knocked someone off their broom—which considering Slytherin's ethics, or lack thereof, was quite often.

Feeling her sister tremble and shudder against her side had eventually become too much for Lily and she escorted the grateful girl back to the library before she was shooed back to the others.

"We started too big," Frank said suddenly, "we should have tried to ease her into it gradually."

"We're not going to be able to cure her fear of heights," Sev pointed out pragmatically.

"Well, we could at least help her to enjoy a game of Quidditch without having a panic attack," Lily cried in frustration. "I just want to do something to help her!"

Hufflepuff scored another goal and Severus didn't even cringe this time, a thoughtful look crossing his face. He glanced at Frank and raised an eyebrow. The other boy just shrugged.

"Worth a try," he said optimistically.

Lily looked back and forth between them. "What's going on?"

"Just an idea of Frank's," Sev said absently. "You know he's a Quidditch fanatic. I just wonder if inviting Petunia along would help."

Lily was ready to throttle him. She swore he drew things out like this just to irritate her. Thankfully Frank took pity on her before she made him witness to a murder.

"I know first years can't get on the House teams," he said excitedly, "but that's no reason we can't give ourselves an edge for next year."

Lily raised her eyebrows, intrigued and listened with growing enthusiasm as the plan unfolded. Merlin, but she hoped it worked.

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><p>Petunia was deeply involved in her Defense essay when Lily and Frank collapsed into seats either side of her. Severus followed more sedately but all three were flushed and looking at her in a way that made her distinctly nervous.<p>

"What's going on?" she asked warily. She was well aware of their various ill-fated attempts to 'help' her and while she appreciated the gesture, she wished they'd just let it go.

"We've got a surprise for you!" Lily and Frank chorused gleefully earning an irate glare from Madam Pince who was shelving books nearby. Severus just rolled his eyes.

"Just follow us already, will you?" he demanded impatiently. Petunia bristled at his imperious tone but before she could snap back, Lily looked at her with big doleful green eyes and Petunia groaned in defeat.

"Fine…" she muttered ungraciously, shoving her essay into her book and slamming it closed. "Let's go then."

oOoOoOo

They towed her outside while she grumbled about all the homework she still had to do. At first she wasn't paying much heed to her surroundings but she soon noticed that they were drifting perilously close to the Forbidden Forest; the Whomping Willow marking the border was mere metres away!

"Ah, yes," Frank said apologetically, "that bit was Severus' idea. He seems to think it'll help take your mind off things."

Petunia spun to face Severus who was looking altogether too pleased with himself but before she could lay into him about his reckless endangerment she spotted Lily. Or rather what lay in the grass beside her. She took a hasty step back, almost toppling Frank but Lily was at her side in an instant.

"It's ok, Tuney, I promise," she soothed, "You don't have to ride them."

That calmed her a bit but she still felt like bolting. "Well, why are they here then?" she demanded hoarsely.

"Well," Frank said jovially, "since you missed the Quidditch match, we decided to give you one of your own!"

"It'll be a lot less exciting," Severus said wryly, "so you'll probably enjoy it."

Petunia stiffened at the insult and glared weakly at him. Given his supremely unconcerned look she was obviously losing her touch.

"We won't be using a snitch since we'd probably lose it," Lily explained.

"And Hooch would kill us and hide the bodies," Severus muttered.

"And no bludgers either," she continued as if he hadn't interrupted. "I know you don't like them and they're really much too dangerous."

Petunia relaxed a little further at that. Frank pointed to three makeshift wooden hoops covered in scorch marks and hairline cracks, each suspended by a thick branch that swayed dangerously in the breeze.

"Those are the goals," he said proudly indicating the crooked wooden circles, "We made them ourselves!"

Petunia sniffed at the shoddy workmanship. If she ever needed proof that she was the best of their little group at Transfiguration then this was it.

"It's not high enough," she said hesitantly. Not that _she_ had a problem with that. If she stood on Frank's shoulders she would probably be able to reach it—not that she'd ever even contemplate doing such a thing. It was still far enough from the ground to make her stomach flip but it was nothing to the height of the goals on the real Quidditch pitch.

"That's on purpose!" Lily told her brightly. "This is your match after all; it'd be no good if you could only see blurry dots."

"These two wanted to try engineer some stands," Severus confided, "but I figured there isn't enough calming potion in the world to get you to trust our Transfiguration skills that far."

As Petunia spluttered at the alarming image _that_ evoked, Frank chimed in. "We know you don't like flying, Tuney," he said gently, "but the fact that you can't even appreciate Quidditch…it'd be a pity to let the Marauders take that from you as well."

Petunia stared blankly at him. She hadn't thought of it like that. True, she'd been curious to see just what Sev had been trying to explain that time with the rocks and the little sticks but in all honesty, she'd never been very interested in sports. Who's to say that Quidditch wouldn't be just as boring as football or…golf?

"Please, Tuney?" Lily asked, gazing at her imploringly. "Just give it a chance!"

"At least prove that you can watch a match without hyperventilating before insisting that you don't like it," Severus challenged. She scowled at him as he raised one smug brow before rolling her eyes and sitting down on the damp grass with a huff.

"Well, then?" she commanded peevishly, "Where is this marvelous spectacle that I'm supposed to see?"

They stared at her for one shocked moment as if they couldn't believe she'd actually agreed. Petunia's resulting expression made them scatter, racing for their brooms.

She had to move too, given that she'd made her dramatic point right in the middle of the 'pitch', which rather ruined the effect she'd been going for but she settled down haughtily again—keeping a wary eye on the forest looming in the distance.

Lily produced a real quaffle, Petunia wasn't even going to _ask_ how they'd got their hands on it, and thrust it at her. She was so surprised she nearly dropped it, looking at her sister in confusion.

"We need you to toss it up," Lily informed her breathlessly, eying Frank as he circled them. Severus had taken up position near the goals.

"Me and Frank will be the chasers first, we'll all take turns being the goalie as the match goes on."

Petunia looked down at the ball in her hands. It was bright red, about the size of a football and surprisingly light. She took a deep breath and walked back to the middle of the pitch, closing her eyes tightly for a moment before tossing it as hard as she could into the air. Immediately she scurried out of the way, hands curled protectively over her head as she ran, not wanting to be hit if it fell. When she reached her spot she reluctantly looked up in time to see Lily, with the quaffle under her arm, zoom in dizzying figure eights, trying to shake Frank as he attempted to block her.

Petunia felt her breath hitch and her legs start to tremble as she took in the speed and lack of care they were displaying. She screamed out loud when Frank slammed his broom into Lily's, grabbing the quaffle as she dropped it in a bid to hang on. But she simply rolled in the air, righting herself quickly and cursed at Frank as he sped toward Severus who was wearing a grimace of intense concentration. She waved to Petunia before tearing off in pursuit.

And it continued like that…and yet no-one fell, though she'd bet a hundred Galleons they'd have bruises in the morning. Before she knew it she found herself leaning forward and urging them on, calling encouragement to Lily who practically glowed at the sound of her voice. Somewhere along the way, she forgot to be scared. She still flinched at the hairy bits but perhaps because she trusted them not to let each other fall, she began to enjoy the game.

They weren't very good. Severus was still a little clumsy on a broom, seeming to prefer being Keeper to Chaser while Frank whizzed around like a pro. Lily was a graceful flier but when they played catch; she tended to fumble the quaffle a bit. Catch wasn't as fun to watch as penalties or a one-on-one Quidditch match. She noticed that Severus didn't like to play against Lily but had no problem blocking her scores. Frank was (slightly) gentler with Lily when they played one-on-one than he was with Sev which upset Lily and pleased Petunia.

Their good-natured arguments and high-speed resolutions were entertaining enough that Petunia found herself laughing along with them and calling out 'fouls' which got her bestowed with the dubious honour of referee. She wasn't entirely sure she was happy about that but it was a role she took seriously and if she took a little too much pleasure in bossing them all around, that was no-one's business but hers.

It turned into a regular thing. If their study sessions finished early enough, they'd run out for a game before dinner. Severus and Frank would disappear, returning shortly with the quaffle but despite Lily almost expiring with curiosity each time, Petunia insisted they keep the 'where and how' to themselves. She still avoided flying like the plague and made up lame excuses to get out of climbing the stands to see a proper Quidditch match but almost every evening she'd rush into dinner late with a flushed face, wide grin and grass stains on her robes—and completely forget to care.

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><p><strong>AN: So what do you think? Like it, hate it—let me know. Review!**


	10. Christmas Gifts

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognizable. Just the plot, since you wouldn't recognize it even if you were standing on it! :P**

**A/N: Thanks to all the wonderful people who reviewed, you are amazing, beautiful specimens of humanity. (…please keep doing it!) Hope you enjoy the next chapter! :)  
><strong>

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><p>Christmas arrived almost too quickly for Lily. On one hand it felt like they'd only been at Hogwarts a few weeks and yet the year was half over already! But on the other, it seemed like an age since she'd seen her parents. Normally there was no time to think about it; classes, pretend-Quidditch, homework—but every now and then, at night or during the few quiet moments throughout the day, especially when writing or receiving a letter, homesickness would hit her like a physical blow. She missed her Mum's gentle touch and warm smile, longed for her Dad's strong presence and rib-crushing hugs. There had been so much to see and do at first, so much to experience, but Petunia's accident and her resulting phobias had shaken Lily out of her happy glow and made her crave the comfort and security of home.<p>

Granted, Petunia was improving slightly—true, their telescope had taken up permanent residence in its awkward spot on the Astronomy tower and she still degenerated into a nervous wreck at the mere thought of heights—but she was also able to glance up every now and then during Hooch's lessons and her anxiety vanished completely whenever they got together for a mock-match even if she couldn't be compelled to approach a broom to save her life. They'd decided not to mention the episode to their parents, afraid they'd be pulled out of Hogwarts and forced to go to a muggle school instead. Still, a small part of Lily wished she could pour it all out and let them fix everything like they used to when she was little and cut her knee.

She missed them so fiercely it ached. Petunia obviously felt the same, if not more so. It was clear by her increasing edginess as Christmas approached, her constant talk of home and the traditions they had and how much she wanted to help decorate the tree this year. Frank was looking forward to seeing his family as well. Apparently his uncle Algie was coming for the holidays and always brought the most incredible gifts.

Lily simply assumed that Severus was returning home too. It was _Christmas_, after all. Where else would you rather be than with your family? So it was with some shock that she saw his name on the list of students staying at Hogwarts. It was a short list and his name was right at the top. She waited until they were in the library, at their usual table tucked away in the dusty Divination section before broaching the subject.

"Severus?" she began hesitantly. He grunted to show he was listening but didn't look up from his Herbology essay. Frank and Petunia watched him struggle through it with suppressed amusement. Severus hated being bad at anything, but despite his best efforts he simply had no talent for nurturing plants.

"I was just wondering why you're not going home for Christmas," she asked in what she hoped was a nonchalant manner.

Severus' quill jerked and he cursed viciously at the resulting smear of ink.

"Oh crap!" Lily cried guiltily, "I'm so sorry Sev, I didn't mean to distract you!"

Severus threw the parchment away from him in disgust and sighed wearily.

"Its fine, Lily," he said heavily. "It's not like it was going anywhere anyway. Honestly, why does it matter what phase of the moon has maximum potency for nightshade?"

"It matters if you want to use them as ingredients for Potions," Petunia pointed out helpfully.

"Well it's not like I'm going to wander around picking the stuff myself is it?" Sev snapped, glaring at his ruined essay. "I'd just go to an Apothecary like a normal person!"

Frank laughed and motioned to his own book. "Well, I'd prefer to buy my potions readymade," he complained, "but _I_ still have to suffer through melting cauldrons and noxious fumes. And if I have to do that; then you have to kill unfortunate plants and avoid the sentient ones killing _you_. It's only fair!"

Lily grinned as Severus muttered darkly that he'd rather kill Frank instead and ended up completely forgetting her earlier question. It was only later, as they entered the Great Hall in time to see the Marauders make an unsuspecting Hufflepuff's robes explode with tinsel that Lily recalled the letter Sev had shown her in the beginning of the year. Were things with his mother really so bad that he'd rather miss Christmas at home than face her? She found that hard to imagine. It jarred with her experience of family in general but she found herself uncharacteristically glad of her ignorance. She'd never known a mother who didn't care for her child more than anything and Lily's heart hurt at the thought that Severus should have to avoid his.

* * *

><p>It was lonely when the train left, carrying his friends away for two weeks. Severus was actually a little disgusted with his resulting melancholy. When had he let himself become so dependent? He was fully aware that despite his aversion to sentiment, some had finally leaked in; but he was more surprised to find that he didn't regret it in the slightest. He'd walked willingly into the trap he'd always sworn to avoid—he never used to be lonely after all. Then again, he'd never known any better either.<p>

Still, even being near Lily and Tuney wasn't enough to entice him back to Spinner's End. Christmas had always been his least favorite time of year. An excuse for a drunk when none was needed and a time for maudlin introspection when his mother was already hip deep in self-pity and impotent anger. His parents would inevitably clash and one of them always dragged him into it. His mother used to try keep him out the fights but ever since the letter arrived on his seventh birthday, she'd become less and less concerned as the bitter seed of resentment took root, until one year, _she'd_ been the one that drew him into the argument. He'd cried from more than bruises that Christmas but it was also the last time he gave anyone the satisfaction of his tears. It used to infuriate his father but it gave Severus some small measure of control which he refused to relinquish. When he got smarter he used to spend the nights in the playground but that wasn't always feasible in the heart of December. He'd be glad to miss the drama this year.

Christmas at Hogwarts promised to be spectacular. Hagrid had already dragged in numerous fir trees which Flitwick and Dumbledore had led the staff in dressing. Lily had been enthralled at the display and even Severushad to fight to keep from looking impressed. Dumbledore's trees were easily recognized; they were the brightest ones, with garishly clashing tinsel that still managed to look festive. Petunia had been like someone at the scene of an accident, horrified but somehow unable to look away. In response, Frank had promised to teach them simple decorating charms next term. Severus wasn't really bothered but seeing Lily and Tuney's excitement he'd forced himself not to sneer.

Since Mulciber, Nott and Avery had left as well, he had his dorm to himself and Severus intended to luxuriate in the long forgotten feeling of privacy as much as possible. In fact the only dampener on his cautious contentment (apart from three gaping absences) was the fact that one of the Marauders had stayed behind as well. Intellectually, Severus had known that Sirius Black wouldn't want to go home so early in the year. His parents probably still needed time to recover and accept the fact that he'd dodged Slytherin. On the up side, Sirius couldn't prank him under full view of the teachers so he was safe. Unfortunately, that meant Severus had to play fair as well.

As there were only a handful of students staying over, they were all forced into something called Secret Santa. Severus didn't see the point but Professor Slughorn had assured him that it was mandatory. He was certain that Dumbledore was behind it. A muggle tradition designed to make the participants anxious and uncomfortable, who else could it be? He probably thought it was _fun_—which left Severus to somehow find another gift despite the fact he had no money.

He'd brewed potions for Lily, Tuney and Frank and spent quite a bit of time on them. It was lucky that he'd so quickly and consistently impressed Slughorn. The Potions Professor had given him full access to the student ingredients for projects. It was unheard of for a first year but Slughorn had shouted down all opposition, insisting that as Head of House, it was his duty to 'cultivate such talent.'

Sitting on his bed with the curtains open for once and enjoying the silence, Severus narrowed his eyes as an idea struck him. He still had some of Frank's present left over that he could re-use as a gift. Abandoning the half finished rewrite of his essay, Severus headed towards the potions lab with a sinister glee that would have made _Peeves_ nervous. He hoped for their sake that 'Morgan Bradshaw' was a boy.

oOoOoOo

On Christmas Day, Severus woke late and stretched lazily. His feet hit something heavy and his thin face lit up at the sight of three small, brightly wrapped presents clustered together at the end of his bed. He tore into them, shredding paper with little thought in his excitement. From Lily, he received a new quill—a black raven's feather—and a box of chocolate frogs, while Petunia gave him a muggle organizer and a book called 'Tips for Black Thumbs'. Utterly perplexed, he flipped through it until he realized it was about muggle gardening before tossing it aside with a snort of amusement. Frank had also given him a book; 'Quidditch through the Ages' along with a card wishing him a Merry Christmas and promising to try out some of the moves when they got back. That was far more interesting than decorating charms.

He'd just gotten dressed when another present wrapped in obnoxious red and gold popped into existence. From his secret santa obviously. He approached this gift with far more care, performing a few simple detection spells before opening it slowly to reveal an expensive box with 'Anti-Grease Haircare Kit' emblazoned across the top. Severus shoved it away from him with a scowl, not bothering to retrieve it when it slid under his bed. He knew his hair had gotten worse since he'd started brewing more, it had always been on the slightly greasy side but now it was lank and plastered to his head no matter how often he showered or stole Avery's shampoo. His friends were too tactful to say anything but he knew they noticed. Lily didn't put her arm around his shoulders as much anymore. He couldn't blame her; even he thought it was disgusting—there just didn't seem to be anything he could _do_ about it. Severus thought it said a lot of her, Tuney and Frank that they were willing to overlook it, especially a clean-freak like Petunia. He certainly didn't need a reminder. With a final glower in the direction of the offending item, he stormed out of the room, his good mood shattered.

Severus didn't need to see Sirius Black's smug grin to know who had sent his 'gift' but he did attempt to calm himself down. No need for Black to realize how much he'd pricked his pride. Instead, he focused on the food. It was nothing like the rare anorexic chicken during the few good years in Spinner's End. He'd never had a Christmas dinner like it! Dozens of fat, roast turkeys; mountains of boiled and roast potatoes; mounds of stuffing; silver jugs of gravy and pots of cranberry sauce, with stacks of Wizarding crackers heaped every few feet along the tables. The Hall rang with laughter and shouts of delight punctuated by the occasional blast of a cracker being pulled.

An older Slytherin offered him one and he eagerly grabbed the other end and yanked hard. An explosion rattled his teeth and when the cloud of blue smoke cleared, he found himself holding a brand new set of Wizard chess. His Housemate didn't seem to mind, just grinned and turned to pull another with her friends. Severus stroked the box reverently. He'd heard of the game, read enough to know the rules, even seen other Slytherins play in the common room, but had never expected to own a set himself. They were notoriously expensive, yet here they were, free in Hogwarts crackers! His previous elation returned and he set it safely on his lap before attacking his food with a vengeance.

There was a bit of commotion when a Ravenclaw girl suddenly sprouted a rich golden beard as long as the Headmaster's. As he watched, she closed her eyes tightly in concentration before it fell out leaving a perfectly trimmed goatee in its place. He'd had to combine no less than three cosmetic potions to create that effect and suffered through six separate explosions and one pile of sludge before he'd got it right. He'd been hoping Morgan was a boy's name but apparently not. He supposed it was lucky she was a Ravenclaw, far more taken with the cleverness of a thing than with its actual effect. As the cries of hilarity continued, he felt relief bubble up inside him and hid a smile. Having discovered firsthand just how humiliating a prank gift could be, Severus found he was pleased that she'd managed to turn it to her advantage.

He paused, watching as Professor Dumbledore swapped his pointed Wizards hat for one with a wide brim piled with an assortment of fruit, and ran through that thought again. A quick glance at Black showed him laughing in the middle of a bunch of fifth years, completely oblivious to his scrutiny. How sick would Black be if Severus turned the Gryffindor's calculated insult to his own benefit? He mused on the idea as he finished his dinner, savouring the food and enjoying the merry atmosphere, even if he didn't contribute to it. Taking his prize back up to his dorm, he carefully placed the chess set into his trunk before stepping over to his bed and frowning thoughtfully. With a sudden decisive movement, he pulled the distasteful gift out and opened it. Not bothering to be gentle, he tore the bottles out and lined them up along his nightstand. Opening each, he performed a generic diagnostic spell that he'd begged off Madam Pomfrey when they'd been haunting the Infirmary waiting for Petunia to be released. If used on people, it listed the state of their health but Severus had inadvertently discovered that if used on potions, it listed their ingredients.

Upon ensuring that Black hadn't added anything potentially embarrassing, Severus sat back in satisfaction. Typical Gryffindor; never bothered beyond the obvious. By the look of the packaging, the idiot had spent several Galleons simply to make a point. A jagged, painful point, true, but Black clearly had no issues with spending his 'evil Slytherin' inheritance. Such blatant hypocrisy made Severus all the more determined to throw _this_ prank back in his face. Of course, there was always the risk it wouldn't work. Nothing else had, and Avery's shampoo had been of decent quality too.

Not wanting to tip his hand to Sirius, Severus decided to wait until the day the other students returned to school to try it. It was a risk. The spell he'd used wasn't meant for this purpose, he could easily have missed something. The undeniable fact was that this substance came from a questionable source, who may or may not have tampered with it. True, he didn't think Sirius stopped long enough to consider anything other than a cheap dig, but it was inadvisable to underestimate your enemy—even if they were a Gryffindor. That being said, a kit this expensive had a greater chance of working and to Severus, that was almost _worth_ the risk of ending up the butt of a Marauder joke. Although it certainly wouldn't be pleasant. But if he used it and succeeded, if he made Black spend who-knows-how-much on making Severus Snape look _good_…

The mere thought of his face when he realized was enough to make up Severus' mind. Not to mention Lily's face…or Frank or Tuney's!

Severus supposed he'd just have to gamble. 

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><p><strong>AN: What did you think? Review and let me know!**


	11. Secrets

**Disclaimer: I don't own the HP world or any of the characters much to my chagrin. But I can still mess around with them… *evil grin***

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting, RL clamped its jaws around me and wouldn't let go! Thanks to everyone who was nice enough to review and I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! :)  
><strong>

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><p>While she was sorry that Christmas was over, Petunia was glad to be back at Hogwarts…and a bit relieved—she hadn't been sure <em>how<em> she'd feel. But although it had been wonderful to be home to celebrate the season with her parents, her revelation from the night of her Sorting still remained true. She'd never regret coming here and she felt something relax within her at the realization. Looking at the blue canopy above her bed, Petunia sighed in contentment. She'd finished all her holiday homework except for her Potions assignment but was hoping to persuade Severus to help her out. She hadn't seen him yet, but that was hardly surprising—the place was insane. Everybody was still settling back into routine and they had a day of grace before classes started back up. Luckily, the four of them had arranged to meet at the library in advance.

She met Lily at the door, but there was no sign of Frank or Severus as they moved toward their usual table. A sudden commotion had Madam Pince swooping down like an avenging angel in pez-nez, chasing the Marauders out from one of the more lonely aisles. A dark haired boy followed, looking amused. It wasn't until he spoke that Petunia realized it was Severus. Beside her, Lily let out a squeak of surprise.

"Thanks for the gift, Black," he drawled as the Gryffindor glared murderously at where he stood, safe behind the librarian's elbow. "I do hope you didn't spend _too_ much."

Potter pulled Black away, shaking his head incredulously. "I can't believe he actually used it," he muttered to his friends as they passed, "I thought he was allergic to the stuff!"

Remus gave them both a polite nod which Petunia ignored with a disdainful sniff as Severus slid into the seat opposite them looking like the cat that got the cream.

"Your hair, Sev!" Lily blurted and Petunia cringed, wishing her sister possessed even an ounce of decorum. "What happened?"

He flicked a glossy black strand out of his face and grinned mischievously. "Oh, just got some new shampoo, that's all."

He refused to be drawn any more on the subject or to explain what his little spat with the Marauders had been about and they eventually gave up asking. Petunia steered the conversation to Potions instead and was just finishing off the final inch that had been mocking her for weeks when Frank dropped into the chair beside Lily.

"Hey guys!" he said cheerfully, "Thanks for the gifts by the way—especially you, Sev."

"So it worked then?" Severus replied looking interested.

"You bet!" he cried enthusiastically, "you should've seen Uncle Algie's face when he saw me parading around with an identical set of muttonchops! He thought it was hilarious. Mother nearly choked on her tea."

Even Petunia had to laugh at that. Predictably, Frank didn't seem to notice anything different about Severus at all. She and Lily met each other's eyes in exasperation. _Boys_. They ended up outside with Severus' Christmas present, a book about Quidditch, with her watching nervously as they tried out various moves. Frank nearly crashed attempting a Wronskri Feint and Petunia shrieked aloud when he said he wanted to try it again. She had to threaten to get Hooch and tell her about the quaffle to make him stop. Severus laughed when Frank got offended and informed him that she was just channeling her inner Slytherin, albeit a slightly unimaginative one. Neither of them was pleased with this pronouncement. Slytherin may have been Sev's version of a compliment but unimaginative certainly was _not_. Frank was caught between wanting to laugh at her expense and being insulted that Severus thought such a bad Slytherin could get the better of him.

While both of them were unsure whether they should be angry at each other or angry at him, Lily successfully distracted them all by pulling off a flawless Kroconski maneuver, which Frank then just _had_ to try. The argument was forgotten completely when Severus had to fire off a cushioning spell when Lily tried a Wronskri Feint of her own. He nearly fell off his broom doing it and Lily still had to endure a jarring landing, but thankfully no bones were broken. Still, it was enough for Petunia to put her trembling foot down and invoke her right as referee to ban the move. Frank grumbled a little but he was pale under his tan and agreed without much fuss.

They hadn't a chance to play as much when classes started. The professors seemed to be trying to drown them in assignments and the few times they managed to finish at a reasonable hour, Severus rarely showed. He always had a glib excuse but Petunia was suspicious, especially when he started to disappear more frequently. She wasn't sure if she was reading too much into things or if there really was something going on. For his sake, she hoped she was just being paranoid. If Lily found out he was keeping secrets, things were going to get nasty.

* * *

><p>"Severus is hiding something."<p>

Frank nodded grimly while Petunia looked upset.

"Is he?" she asked uncertainly.

"Yes," Lily and Frank answered unison.

"Oh."

They were at their usual table in the library—all except for Severus, who was late…again.

"He's missed loads of Quidditch matches in the last few months," Frank said worriedly.

"He's always late to meet us, he skips meals," Lily continued, ticking each item off on her fingers.

"Do you think it's anything bad?" Tuney butted in anxiously.

"Why don't we ask him?" Frank responded determinedly and they turned to see Severus enter the library and walk carefully over to them.

"Hey," he said sliding into his seat. "Sorry I'm late, got a bit side-tracked with Peeves."

Lily fumed at the blatant lie, knowing full well that Peeves was in the process of setting an elaborate trap outside McGonagall's office door and nowhere near the Slytherin dungeons.

"You don't look so good Sev," Frank said suddenly. Lily, taking a better look at her friend, had to agree. Behind the healthier hair, his face was even paler than usual with dark rings under his eyes.

"God, Sev!" she yelped, "You look awful!"

"Thanks Lily," he said drily but she refused to be distracted.

"What's going on with you?" she demanded, "It wasn't Peeves that made you late this time, any more than it was the other times! We're all sick of pretending we don't notice when you vanish and that we believe your lies about it later!"

Severus' face closed. "Leave it Lily," he ordered harshly. "It's got nothing to do with you."

"Don't talk to my sister like that!" Petunia snapped. "Is such a crime to be concerned about you?"

"It's not a crime, just an annoyance," he spat and Lily recoiled at his vitriol as Tuney's eyes widened with hurt.

"Severus—" Frank began in a conciliatory tone.

"Drop. It."

Frank's mouth snapped shut at the venom dripping from those two words and Lily stared at the Slytherin as if he was a stranger. His dark eyes glittered with malice as he regarded them.

"This is my business," he hissed. "I'll thank you to stay out of it." With that, he shoved his chair back with a squeal that had Madam Pince glaring disapprovingly at their corner. As he made his exit, Petunia exhaled shakily.

"Well!" she huffed but Lily wasn't fooled. She was still reeling herself and was willing to bet that Tuney was just as stunned. Frank however, was staring in the direction Severus had gone, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"Guys…" he said slowly, "when he was leaving…did you notice if he limping?"

"Limping?" Petunia repeated incredulously, "What if he was? I don't see why we should care; it's his _business_ after all." She crossed her arms and tossed her blonde hair, clearly washing her hands of the matter, but Lily could see the thought bothered her.

She was hurt as well; she couldn't understand how Severus could act like that, especially to _them_. It was tempting to follow Tuney's lead but Lily just couldn't reconcile this sudden drastic personality change with the Sev she was used to. No, something was wrong and she was determined to figure out what. She turned to Frank.

"What do you think?" she asked seriously.

"I think…next time he disappears, I'm going to follow him." Frank stated resolutely. Petunia slammed her book closed in protest.

"I don't see why you're so worried," she said frostily, "not after the way he just behaved."

"He's our friend, Tuney," Frank reminded her. "I'm not going to just write him off after one fight."

"Me neither," Lily agreed firmly. "He wouldn't if it was us."

At least, she hoped he wouldn't. But deep down she knew that if she was really in trouble she'd be able to count on Sev, no matter how mad he was.

Tuney scowled but it looked a little forced. "I-I guess," she sighed, though Lily thought she detected a hint of shame in her eyes. "But if he speaks to me like that again, I reserve the right to hex him!"

Frank laughed but Lily nodded. There was no reason to accept that from anyone, much less a friend. Her agreement seemed to cheer Tuney up and they returned to their homework, plan set. When they found out what was going on, Lily was going to fix it and then she was going to kill Severus for being so stupid.

* * *

><p>He shouldn't have argued with them. Severus knew that but it didn't do him much good now. He'd never been very good at keeping his temper, the only legacy his father was ever likely to give him. He tried to bury it in ice, to keep his volcanic rage frozen and caged but it never worked for very long. When he was younger, his mother had started teaching him occlumency, a way of focusing the mind, so that he wouldn't turn out like the waste of space she was married to but those lessons tapered off after he turned seven, along with so much else. Maybe he'd try to pick it up again.<p>

Unfortunately, his mind was in far too much turmoil lately to even bother attempting it. The Marauders had begun their offensive and he found himself hard pressed to even evade their flurry of attacks, let alone defend against them. After almost four solid months of this, he was starting to feel a little hunted. Lupin never really joined in, just stood back holding his wand limply and looking uncomfortable. So much for hating prejudice.

But that still left him three against one and though he always got a few licks in, as soon as he focused an attack he was left vulnerable to the other two. His Slytherin side demanded he call in re-enforcements but to be honest, he didn't want to. And it wasn't just about his pride. Petunia was no fighter, she was liable to get hurt in the melee and those idiots had already caused her enough damage.

That and he found himself unsure who Frank and Lily would side with. Intellectually he _knew_ they would help him—they were his friends first, Gryffindors second…right? And they didn't think much of the Marauders either, especially after what happened to Tuney. Even though they _had_ admitted some of their more recent, toned down pranks were funny. Still, he couldn't help but be fearful of actually putting them to the test. What if he didn't like the result? House solidarity was a powerful thing, especially after the way he'd just treated them.

He doubted they'd want anything to do with him now. Not that it mattered anyway—this was _his_ fight and he was perfectly capable of handling it on his own.

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><p>A few days later, Lily was waiting on tenterhooks in the common room. Severus had kept his distance since the library incident but Frank had taken to shadowing him between classes and today neither of them had shown up for lunch. She was desperate to know what was going on. This underlying tension was driving her insane. When they partnered for Potions yesterday, Severus had been meticulously polite and she'd been so taken aback by his attitude that she hadn't been able to say anything more meaningful than 'pass the shivelfigs, please.' He probably thought she was mad at him. And she <em>had<em> been, but he'd looked so exhausted and jumpy that it'd been hard to maintain it. Even Petunia had mellowed at the sight of him.

The portrait swung open and Lily's head snapped up, only to see Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew come in with a crowd of other first years.

"—to the hospital wing," Sirius was saying loudly. "The bastard hit James with some kind of Dark curse, so we're just going to grab some of his stuff. Apparently he'll have to stay overnight. I can't wait until Dumbledore hears about it—that scummy Slytherin will be expelled for sure!"

Lily rolled her eyes, glad of something to take her mind off Severus.

"Oh please, Black," she said scornfully, "Stop embarrassing yourself. Everyone knows it wasn't really a Dark spell."

Sirius startled at the sound of her voice. "What's that supposed to mean Evans?" he demanded.

Realizing that her rather loud proclamation had stilled the conversations around her and that most people were looking confused, Lily had to bite back a laugh.

"Haven't any of you read Hogwarts: A History?" she asked in disbelief. At the resulting sheepish expressions, she shook her head. "Well, seeing as how the Headmaster is immediately alerted to any Dark magic cast in the castle or on the grounds, I'd say you're lying, Black," she said dismissively. "That or you're just stupid."

"You _would_ defend him," Sirius growled. "If it wasn't Dark then it was on the verge. We all know what Slytherins are like and Snape's the worst of them!"

Lily barely heard the murmurs of agreement, her mind latching onto one thing. "Potter was dueling with Sev?" she asked faintly.

"And _your friend_ put him in the Hospital Wing," Sirius repeated forcefully as Peter returned with a bundle of snitch pyjamas. His voice gentled slightly. "Listen, I know you don't want to hear it, Evans but you should stay away from him—he's dangerous!"

"And what about you lot?" Frank's voice lashed out and Lily jumped at the fury of it. "I notice you neglected to mention that there were three of you in that 'duel' and that your heroic Potter was the one who started it!"

"What?" Lily shoved her way through the gossips that immediately surrounded the boys. "Frank, what—?"

"I don't know what he told you, Longbottom," Sirius said fiercely, "But he ambushed us! You can't trust him!"

"_I was there!_"

Frank's outraged bellow cut through all the excited speculation. You could have heard a pin drop. Someone coughed nervously and Sirius began to look a little uneasy.

"I wanted to know why Severus was acting so strange," Frank gritted out through clenched teeth, "so I followed him and I saw you three set on him for no reason! And I _know_ it wasn't the first time!"

Lily gasped and Frank turned stiffly from Sirius, as if he was just barely keeping himself from drawing his wand.

"I came to get you, Lily," he said curtly, grabbing her hand. "Severus is in the Infirmary as well. Apparently no-one thought _that_ was worth mentioning either."

Whispers erupted as they left but it never even occurred to Lily to look back. 

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><p><strong>AN: dun, dun, DUN! The jig is up! :P**

**Please review!**


	12. Confessions

**Disclaimer: I really don't own any of the characters—not even a part share… :( **

**A/N: Right, it all hits the fan here! :P**

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><p>The infirmary was still and silent as they entered and Petunia shivered. This place brought back bad memories. Two beds at opposite sides of the room were shrouded in familiar white, gauzy curtains. Madam Pomfrey flitted from one to the other; carrying potions, murmuring spells and generally looking harried. A figure moved behind the curtains on the left and Petunia slowed as Frank led Lily towards the other bed to speak with Pomfrey. She moved closer just as Remus Lupin emerged, his face drawn. He flinched when he saw her but her eyes were fastened on the figure lying in the bed behind him.<p>

At first she thought he was sleeping but something about the sight nagged at the back of her mind, bothering her. She heard Remus say something but the words sounded distant and distorted as she finally realized what was wrong.

James Potter had no eyes.

There were just stretches of smooth skin sealing the sockets. Her gut roiled as his head lolled in her direction as if he could somehow _sense_ her even if he couldn't see. That was too much for Petunia. She barely even realized that she was hyperventilating until Remus jerked the curtain closed and reached for her in concern. At his gentle touch however, her nerve broke and she bolted, ignoring Lily's questioning shouts as she shoved her way out the door, slamming into someone trying to enter.

Without stopping to apologize or even look back to see if they were all right, Petunia ran. She just needed somewhere quiet, somewhere to think. Eventually she collapsed in an empty classroom and tried desperately to calm down. Thinking of what she'd just seen, of what _Severus_ had done… That boy's eyes were gone! Madam Pomfrey was good but Petunia wasn't sure if she'd be able to reverse something like that. She wasn't surprised the other Marauders had thought it was Dark magic. If she hadn't heard Lily's explanation, that's what she'd be assuming too. Petunia shuddered to think of magic worse than what Severus had done to James Potter.

She'd known he'd done _something_, she wasn't naive. But she'd been expecting boils or warts or possibly a botched Transfiguration at worst. It was a shock to realize that she'd become so comfortable with Sev that she'd forgotten where he'd come from. He was 'that Snape boy' from down Spinner's End, where all the undesirables ended up. Decent people were warned to avoid the area, children of respectable neighbourhoods were told quite firmly never to wander too close, to run if any of they even caught a glimpse of someone from 'down there.' She and Lily were no exception. Their parents had forbidden them from going too far past the playground. But Severus had broken the rules first; he'd passed the invisible line and inserted himself into their lives.

Petunia drew up her knees and clasped her legs, burying her face as Potter's eyeless gaze rose in her memory. Had her first impression of Severus been right all along? Her parents seemed to like him but they'd only met him a few times. She'd allowed herself to be persuaded that he was normal enough, a little rough around the edges perhaps…but not dangerous. Now she was second-guessing herself. People down Spinner's End were reported to be brutal, callous and immoral. Petunia had separated them from Severus in her mind but now she was wondering if that had been a mistake.

He hadn't just blinded Potter, he'd vanished his _eyes! _Petunia wasn't sure what to think. A sudden scraping noise made her look up in time to see the classroom door open and Sirius Black poke his head in.

"There you are," he said sounding pleased. "I thought I'd never find you."

Petunia tensed as he entered and sat beside her. She hadn't forgiven his little _prank_ even if everyone else had. "What do you want Black?" she demanded, or tried to. She was mortified when her voice wobbled and broke.

Sirius eased back a bit to regard her gravely. "Well, you nearly knocked me down," he said ruefully rubbing his shoulder. "I wanted to see if you were all right. Remus told me you saw what Snape did to James."

"Yes."

He looked at her expectantly for a few seconds before realizing that was all he was getting. He looked a bit disappointed, as if he'd thought she was going to rant and rave or maybe pour out all her fears. Petunia surreptitiously clenched her fists and valiantly withheld a contemptuous snort. Gryffindors had short memories.

"Look, I know it was disturbing to see something like that," Sirius said soothingly, "but at least you know who you're palling around with now. I'll admit I may have exaggerated a little when I called it Dark magic but the truth is, it was pretty damn close. Snape's a viper, Evans—your sister can't see that but I think you're different. _You_ know he's dangerous. It's only a matter of time until—"

"I can't believe," Petunia interrupted furiously, "that you have the gall to preach to me—to_ me_—about who is dangerous Black!"

Sirius' grey eyes widened and he backpedalled fast. "Listen, I know we made mistakes," he said quickly, "but it never would have happened if you hadn't been beside Snape, we just wanted to get him away—"

Petunia scrambled to her feet, startling Sirius into clumsiness as he followed suit. "Even now, you still can't own up to it!" she accused. "It's always someone else's fault, isn't that right? Do you know that you never even said _sorry?_"

He gaped at her like a fish and she could see it'd never even occurred to him. Disgusted she pushed past his shocked form to the door. Pausing she turned back and Sirius took a step forward, victory in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I ran into you earlier, Black. It was rude," she said stiffly and he stumbled to a stop, completely wrong-footed.

"Wh—?"

She left him to his confusion and wondered if he'd ever understand what she'd just done—admitting she was wrong despite her personal feelings. It'd never seemed so important before but after this…she'd learned, would he? Somehow, Petunia doubted it. Her indignant anger carried her all the way back to the Infirmary before she faltered. She couldn't look at Potter's bed, just rushed past before hesitating in front of Severus'. She wasn't sure if she had the courage to go in or not but in the end the decision was taken out of her hands. Lily whipped back the curtain and dragged her in before she could protest.

"Tuney where have you _been?"_

Frank and Remus were talking quietly on the other side of the bed and Petunia had to remind herself of Black's gormless expression to stop gaping.

"What is _he_ doing here?" she demanded testily.

"Remus?" Lily smiled shakily and only then did Petunia notice how wretched she looked. "It turned out that following a Slytherin isn't easy. He kept giving Frank the slip." She cast a fond look at the bed that quickly turned pained. "Always have to do everything the hard way don't you, Sev?"

Petunia chose to keep her focus on Lily, not even glancing at the bed beside her. "What does this have to do with him?" she asked impatiently. "He's a Marauder isn't he? One of them?"

"Actually," Frank said, butting into their conversation, "he's the one who tipped me off to what was happening."

Seeing Petunia's flabbergasted expression, Remus stepped in. "I didn't do it to betray my friends," he said firmly, "It's just that this feud with Sna-Severus is getting out of hand. Now that you all know what's going on, S-Severus won't be such an easy target and hopefully James and Sirius will forget about this."

"What about Peter?" Lily asked curiously.

"He'll follow the others," Remus assured them. He glanced out through the curtains. "Sirius ran off somewhere but he should be back soon. I'd better get back to James. He's trying to persuade Pomfrey to give him 20-20 vision when she performs the counter-curse." He grinned. "I don't think she's going to go for it though."

"So it can be fixed?" Petunia blurted anxiously. "I-I mean…" she hurried to clarify as everyone stared at her in bemusement, "He'll get his eyes back?"

"Of course he will, Tuney," Lily laughed. "Madam Pomfrey can fix anything!"

"It was just a curse," Remus said confidently. "The counter wasn't hard to find. Pomfrey just didn't implement it right away because she had to take care of Sna-Severus." He looked slightly apologetic. "I think she was trying to teach James a lesson as well."

Petunia blinked as he slipped out to rejoin his friend and looked down at the bed without thinking. She sucked in a shaky breath. Patches of Severus' skin were pink and raw as if scalded and he had fading bruises on his hands. Some of his fingers were in splints.

"That's where they kicked his wand out of his grip," Frank said soberly.

"He looks better now," Lily said tremulously, "They must have been extra mad at what he did to Potter."

"I can't believe this has been going on for so long and we didn't see it!" Frank said hollowly, "That he didn't _tell_ us."

Petunia's gaze travelled over her unconscious friend, taking in each visible injury. _If this was better…_Seeing his condition made it a little easier to justify what he did, but she found her doubts weren't disappearing as quickly as his bruises.

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><p>When Severus awoke, he didn't bother opening his eyes. He didn't need to. The unfortunate fact was that he'd been a guest in Madam Pomfrey's domain so often lately, that he could recognize it by smell alone. He suppressed a sigh of disappointment. It looked like his latest plan had been a bust as well. As he became more aware, his paranoia kicked in. Immediately he twisted in the bed, yelping at the resulting pain but stubbornly ignoring it until his hand reached underneath his pillow and his fingers closed around his wand. His sigh of relief became a choked cry of pain as he calmed enough to feel it.<p>

"Severus!"

A chorus of familiar voices pierced the haze, grounding him and he opened his eyes to peer at the blurry faces surrounding his bed.

"I'll go get Pomfrey."

One form hurried away. He'd recognized Tuney's voice but there'd been something in different in it, something off… He was too distracted to analyze it now though. He concentrated on breathing instead, clearing his mind until the pain started to subside. It was only then that he realized he was clutching his wand to his chest like normal people would cling to teddy bears. Or so he'd heard at least. He thought it was pretty pathetic that he'd been here regularly enough for Pomfrey to know in advance to soothe his fear by keeping his wand close. Losing it had always been his greatest fear, even before he'd set foot in Ollivander's dusty shop.

"Sev?" Lily's anxious voice drifted to him and with a worrying amount of effort, he opened his eyes again and battled to keep them that way.

"Lily," he responded, wincing at the roughness of his voice. "Frank," he added belatedly seeing the boy lean forward slightly.

"Tuney's gone to get Madam Pomfrey," Lily said shakily, "she'll be here any—"

The rustle of curtains interrupted her and she had to back off as the nurse tipped several vials of potion down his throat and muttered a quick diagnostic spell.

"Well," she said briskly, "things are going well. You should finish growing those patches of skin back in a few hours and if you're lucky, you'll be out of here tonight."

Severus managed a small nod. Already his previous discomfort was a distant memory.

She looked satisfied but ran an assessing eye over him. "I thought I told you to eat, Mr. Snape," she said sharply, making him shift uneasily. "I've seen altogether too much of you over these last few months. If you arrive back again for anything worse than a cold, I'll be forced to notify your Head of House!"

Severus had to physically stop himself from rolling his eyes and attempted to look suitably cowed at the threat. Maybe he would have been worried if that hard-ass McGonagall was his Head but with Slughorn, a few dutiful nods and well-placed compliments and he'd forget all about it. He had the feeling she wasn't convinced but she left with no more than a disgruntled 'harrumph'.

If he'd been up to his usual standards he never would have forgotten that there were other people in the room.

"So you've been in here a lot, huh?" Lily asked, her nonchalant tone belied by the anger in her green eyes. Severus glanced at Frank but he saw no help from that quarter and Tuney wouldn't even look at him.

"Why didn't you tell us what was going on?" Frank demanded as Lily practically vibrated with fury.

"They're Gryffindors," he said flatly. "I couldn't ask you to go against your own House."

Frank's eyes widened and Lily exploded. "Why not?" she yelled making Tuney and Frank glance around the curtain anxiously. "Do you really think we care about that? You idiot!"

Severus was proud that he managed to keep his face composed under her increasingly vehement tirade. Inside he was getting a little uncomfortable. He was sure that he'd had many good reasons for not involving them, but somehow they were evading him right now and the ones he _could_ remember seemed weak and stupid. And if there was one Severus Snape hated, it was stupidity.

"I wanted to deal with it myself," he said awkwardly. "I thought—"

"You didn't think at all," Frank snapped as Tuney gripped Lily's shoulder, whispering frantically and gesturing to the curtain, obviously warning her that continued shouting would get them thrown out. "Why can't you see that you don't _have_ to deal with things on your own?" he said in frustration. "You didn't want to leave Tuney to sort out _her_ problems by herself did you?"

"Well no, but—"

"No buts, Sev!" Lily cut in. "It's exactly the same. We're not going to leave you high and dry. Would it kill you to trust us?"

Severus didn't answer. One of Pomfrey's potions must have had a weird side-effect because there was a strange lump in his throat. He could see the hurt in their faces and part of him marveled that they were so upset because he _hadn't_ bothered them. It was usually the opposite in his limited experience. But he felt guilty as well. He felt awful, in fact.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, letting his hair shield him from view. "I just didn't want to get you involved."

"We're already involved, Severus," Frank said with conviction.

"Don't hide stuff like this from us again, Sev, please!"

He flinched at Lily's impassioned appeal and found himself nodding with no input from his conscious mind at all. "I won't," he promised and just like that, the tension drained from their faces. He felt his own shoulders loosen as well, like a huge weight had been lifted. He didn't examine that sensation too closely, his gaze instead focusing on the one party who'd been completely silent throughout the whole ordeal.

"Petunia?"

His hesitant question drew the others attention as she slowly looked at him. He froze, his breath catching. Something was wrong, something worse than anger or hurt feelings.

"Petunia's just a little…upset at the curse you hit Potter with," Frank explained tightly. He didn't look away and Severus could see how much it was taking him not to ask. Even if it hadn't been Dark, it was still pretty disturbing and Severus knew it. That had been the whole point after all. Lily was looking discomfited, glancing between her sister and her friend, obviously wanting to bring it up but not knowing what to say. But none of them pushed him or demanded answers.

So this was trust. It was nice.

Somehow, having the option not to say anything made it easier to confess. Besides, he didn't want Tuney to be scared of him, even if it might be fun sometimes.

"It was my last resort," he admitted quietly, noticing but not focusing on the way Frank and Lily jerked in surprise. They clearly hadn't been expecting him to give details. It gave him a small rush of satisfaction that he could still be unpredictable. But mostly, he was looking at Petunia.

"I tried running away, bribery, fighting back, threats…nothing worked. So I decided to try scaring them off." He made a face. "I was going for the shock factor. I thought if I made the fear outweigh the fun…" He trailed off, guiltily.

"Oh, Sev!" Lily said sympathetically, "That might have worked with other Houses but not Gryffindors."

"We do love a challenge," Frank agreed dejectedly.

"Yeah, I know that _now_," he retorted acidly. "Your House is full of suicidal masochists."

"Hey!" Lily and Frank yelled in unison.

Petunia snorted. "Overall, I think he might have a point," she said disgustedly.

Severus grinned at her. "Present company excepted, of course," he said generously which eased the others' ruffled feathers. Petunia gave him a guarded look as Madam Pomfrey came to shoo them out, berating them for being inconsiderate to the other patients. But she still managed to smile at him as they left.

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><p><strong>AN: It all came out! But will it really be sorted out so easily? Do you really think Petunia will be placated by 2 minutes of conversation? Well, at least the Marauders will probably back off now….right? :P**

**Thanks to all who reviewed! Please let me know what you think! Like? Not like? Tell me! **


	13. Distrust

**Disclaimer: Not. Mine!**

**A/N: Thanks you guys! I'm beyond delighted to hear how many of you like this story!**

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><p>"Why are we going after Snape again?" Remus asked in frustration, interrupting the Marauders' planning session.<p>

They'd adjourned to their dorm after a triumphant return to the common room. Most Gryffindors believed _their_ side of the story, the most popular rumour floating around being that Snape had used some underhanded Slytherin trick to fool Frank and Lily into defending him. But Remus knew better and he knew his friends did too.

"You saw what he did to James," Sirius pointed out reasonably. "We can't just let that go."

"Exactly!" James chimed in, "We don't want people to think that they can just curse us and get away with it!"

Remus folded his arms and gave his best disapproving glare. "I don't want any part of this," he snapped, trying to hide his fear. "Pranks are fine, but focusing so much on tormenting Snape…I just don't see the point."

James opened his mouth to reply but Remus rushed on before he lost his nerve. "I don't want to be a bully," he blurted, "and I don't want you guys to be either. I'm sick of having people end up in the Hospital Wing—just think of what almost happened to Lily's sister!" Part of him couldn't believe that he was taking the risk of losing his only friends and for _Snape_ of all people, but his long suppressed Gryffindor side was kicking the hell out of his conscience on this.

James shut his mouth with a snap, his recently restored hazel eyes widening at the almost blasphemous accusation. Even Sirius was struck speechless. Peter shifted slightly on his bed but kept his head down, his eyes darting between the three of them.

"Look, I _know_ he's a Slytherin," Remus said unsteadily into the ominous silence. The blank expressions on his friends' faces were rapidly leeching away his resolve, but he stumbled onward regardless. "But compared to Mulciber and his group or older students like Malfoy, Snape hardly registers! He's friends with two muggleborns for Merlin's sake!"

"But what he did to James…" Peter offered bravely.

"Only because we pushed him into it," Remus said guiltily. "If we'd just left him alone, it never would have happened."

James blinked before turning to look at Sirius uneasily. "Maybe Remus has a point," he conceded reluctantly. "I know he said some stuff, but given the circumstances…"

Despite his curiosity about what 'stuff' Snape could've said to earn such enmity; Remus forced himself not to ask and held his breath as he waited for a response. Sirius sighed and raised his head to look at them each in turn. His grey eyes were shadowed and Remus felt a shiver ripple down his spine as he motioned them all closer. When they were all sitting on his bed, Sirius took a deep breath as if bracing himself.

"Okay," he said determinedly, "I'm going to tell you something I never wanted any of you to know. I just hope that you'll hear me out 'til the end and that once you _do_ know, you won't think any less of me." He swallowed hard. "But I'll understand if you do."

Remus, wedged between Peter and James as they sat facing Sirius, felt as if he'd been kicked in the stomach. He didn't have a clue what Sirius' secret could be but whatever it was, the thought of revealing it clearly scared the spit out of him. His friend's face was pale but his jaw was set. The irony wasn't lost on Remus and he admired Sirius for having more courage than he could ever hope to.

"Whatever it is, you can tell us, Sirius," James said softly, "you know you can trust us. We're your friends!"

Sirius gave a curt nod and visibly pulled himself together. "Your Dad's an Auror, right James?" he stated baldly. It wasn't really a question and he didn't wait for James' inevitable answer. "Have you heard him mention anything about some wannabe despot calling himself a Dark Lord?"

Remus and Peter exchanged looks of incomprehension but James stiffened. "How do you—"

"What do you know?" Sirius asked bluntly.

James hesitated before responding. "He's a new player, no-one knows that much about him," he began cautiously. "He preaches Pureblood supremacy, believes muggleborns should be disposed of before they 'infect' us and wants to pretty much exterminate all muggles."

Remus blanched and he felt Peter shake beside him. The very idea was disgusting. Peter was a Halfblood and while Remus was Wizardborn he wasn't a true Pureblood—not that it would matter. For a maniac that valued blood above all, someone with his curse would undoubtedly be viewed as tainted.

"But your Dad'll get him, right James?" Peter asked a little desperately. "He's nuts right? No-one's going to actually _listen_ to him…right?"

"Of course not!" James said cockily, but one glance at Sirius and his bravado faltered slightly.

"He's already got a following, especially in the older families," Sirius said quietly. "They call themselves 'Death Eaters'," he made air quotations and rolled his eyes, making Peter laugh nervously. "They're very selective but they're growing in number…and most of them are Slytherins. Ambition, you know?"

Remus shivered again and James' eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "How do you know all this?" he asked suspiciously.

Sirius snorted. "I'm from the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black," he said in disgust. "Almost all my ancestors were Slytherins with just the odd Ravenclaw, and my mother _insists_ we can trace our lineage back to Merlin." His long-suffering expression made Remus doubt the validity of those claims but James didn't even crack a smile.

"They know about this guy? Do they agree?"

"They agree all right," Sirius replied with an edge of loathing. "They never shut up about how useless muggleborns are and how they're so great. It makes me sick!" He bit his lip and took a calming breath. "They haven't made any overt gestures of support just yet," he said, getting back on track, "they're waiting to see which way the wind will blow. But it's only a matter of time." At that grim pronouncement, he dropped his eyes.

Remus' mind was spinning with the sudden influx of information but he found it hard to be too worried. Society would never accept such revolting ideas. James' father and the other Aurors would catch that self-deluded twit and toss him in Azkaban where he belonged.

Sirius remained totally still, not looking up and Remus cursed himself for not saying something immediately. "Sirius," he said gently, "you didn't really think we'd hate you for your family's twisted politics, did you? You obviously don't believe in any of it."

His head snapped up. "Of course not," he yelped looking truly horrified.

James chuckled slightly. "Remus is right, Sirius," he said affectionately, grabbing him in a headlock. "Don't be such an idiot!"

Sirius squirmed free and shot a blinding, if slightly disbelieving grin at them. "Really?"

"Of course!" Peter chirped, bouncing in place.

"I might owl my Dad though," James said thoughtfully.

"Do, James," Sirius said with uncharacteristic gravity. "If it would help him catch that nut-job sooner, do it."

James nodded while Remus shook his head. "I'm glad you told us, but I don't see what any of this has to do with Snape," he said curiously, trying to lighten the mood.

"Everything!" Sirius burst out enthusiastically. "Slytherin is the Pureblood House—they're the families this bastard is zeroing in on. Normally I'd let the evil gits rot, but Lily and Frank are fellow _Gryffindors!_ Even that self-righteous Ravenclaw… We can't just let Snape ooze his creepy Dark values into them—we have to get them away from him before something bad happens!"

The worst part was that Remus could actually see where Sirius was coming from. "But don't you think it could work the other way," he tried desperately, "Being friends with Lily, Frank and Petunia might be a…good influence on him!"

"No way," James said seriously, "Sirius is right. I've heard enough stories to know what Slytherins are like and with this on top of it…"

"Relax Remus," Sirius said reassuringly, "as soon as we prove what Snape is really like, we'll leave him alone, I promise."

Seeing the gleam in his friends' eyes, Remus relented. They were determined to 'save' their Housemates, even if the people in question didn't particularly _want_ the Marauder version of white knights riding to their supposed rescue.

* * *

><p>It took Lily an embarrassingly long time—almost a week—to figure out something was wrong. In her defense; between the end-of-term exams and worrying about the Marauders, things were almost too hectic to think! Frank and Sev were annoyingly relaxed about both while she and Tuney ran around like headless chickens, trying to cram a year's worth of lessons into their heads in less than a fortnight. But they weren't the only ones, exam fever had gripped Hogwarts and every student could be seen poring over books, even the aloof Slytherins. Lily had caught sight of Avery crouched behind a suit of armour trying to memorize Sinestra's star charts.<p>

However once she took notice of the problem, it wasn't hard to guess the cause. Sev might be a closed book, but her sister most certainly was _not_.

"You're scared of what Sev did."

It was one of the rare times they were alone together, out near the Forbidden Forest which was made all the more menacing by the dark clouds overhead, though Lily was more concerned with the impending drizzle. Frank and Sev had disappeared off to get the quaffle and despite itching to know how they managed it, she focused on Tuney as she looked back at her innocently.

"I don't know—"

"Oh come on, Tuney," Lily cajoled, "We're sisters! Do you think I don't know when something's bothering you? You've been distant since we got Sev out of the Hospital Wing." She looked at Tuney's pale face. "He scared you, didn't he?" she repeated solemnly and Petunia sagged.

"Of course he did!" she hissed. "It would have upset any _normal_ person! I just don't understand why you and Frank—but especially you Lily, could just brush something like that under the carpet!"

"He was trying to frighten them off Tuney," Lily exclaimed, controlling her irritation with difficulty. Why did Petunia always have to bring being 'normal' into everything? "It was a last ditch effort, remember? He was desperate!"

Seeing Petunia's stubborn, unyielding expression, an old anger flared in her. "You wouldn't understand, _Petunia_," she sneered. "You've always been so perfect, haven't you? Fit right in, popular without any effort? And just when you find out you've magic, it's straight off to Hogwarts with everyone else. You don't know what it's like to be different—to be singled out and picked on! But _I_ do!"

She was crying now, all the things she'd never said clawing their way up her throat and battering the wide-eyed, clueless Petunia.

"Do you have any idea what it was like for me at school?" she demanded, waiting until she got a silent headshake in return. "I had no-one. I did one too many weird, _freak_ things and everyone avoided me! They called me witch, only not in a good way. And you, whenever I came home or saw you at break you either ignored me or yelled at me for just being myself! I lost count of the times I wished I could blast those horrible girls away from me! So how can I condemn Sev for trying to stop it in any way he could?"

"Lily—"

"I'm not saying I agree," she growled, "But as a last resort, I can _understand_ what drove him to it. That's all."

Lily quieted, chest heaving as sobs shook her and she took deep breaths until they passed. She wiped her eyes, studying the grass at her feet intently. She couldn't believe she'd broken down like that. Not to mention she'd taken a conversation about trusting Sev and made it all about herself. But while she might want to sink into the ground, she couldn't bring herself to regret her rant. It had felt good to vent. She'd thought she was over all that, that it was part of the past, forgotten, but apparently there was still a little resentment lingering.

When she finally snuck a look at Petunia, she saw her sister was examining her shoes with equal intensity. The silence stretched past uncomfortable and into awkward. Lily fidgeted nervously but before she could speak, Petunia cleared her throat.

"Lily…" she trailed off for a moment before rallying. "Lily I-I didn't know. I'm…I'm _sorry_. It won't happen again." She raised her head to spear her with a glance. "I promise."

Lily nodded shakily, torn between feeling vindicated and hoping they could just forget it now.

"But I still don't trust Severus," she finished flatly. Lily's mouth dropped open in outrage but before she could argue, Petunia spun on her heel and took off towards the castle.

Lily watched her go, seething.

"Lily!"

Her head shot up to see Frank and Sev hurrying over to her, just as a raindrop splashed her nose.

"Where'd Tuney run off to?" Frank asked just as the sullen skies opened.

"_Shit!_"

"Guess no Quidditch today then," he yelled over the rain. At their nods he hefted the quaffle. "We'd better put this back then."

Sev gave her a red-rimmed eyes a meaningful look. "Are you all right," he asked softly, so only she could hear. At her nod he looked skeptical but she waved an arm dismissively. "Just sister stuff," she reassured him. "It happens."

"Makes me glad I'm an only child," Frank broke in, grinning. "Don't worry; I'm sure you'll sort it out. Um...Sev? Getting kind of wet here…"

* * *

><p>Petunia stormed down a corridor her thoughts churning. She couldn't believe what Lily had told her. True, she'd known that Lily hadn't many friends in primary school but she'd thought it was because she was a loner. Too <em>special<em> to mix with ordinary people. She'd never even considered that her taunts had spread so far. Granted, Lily's proclivity for the bizarre would probably have alienated her anyway, but perhaps it wouldn't have been as severe if the other kids hadn't witnessed her own sister attacking her at every opportunity. She'd been deliberately cruel and thought it justified since Lily wasn't _normal_ anyway. She deserved it. The familiar thought made Petunia cringe now. In hindsight, it couldn't have been more obvious that she'd been jealous.

Refusing to entertain any more uncomfortable revelations, she pushed the unexpected guilt aside and focused on what had been upsetting her to begin with. Severus shouldn't have done what he did. Maybe in desperation it might have seemed reasonable but it should never have come to that. He should have told a teacher, his Head of House—or better still, he should have told them.

"Tuney!"

She turned in surprise to find a soaking wet Severus Snape striding up to her, looking furious.

"You look like a drowned rat," she said, stepping back in distaste to avoid the drops that flew when he stopped in front of her.

"What did you do to Lily?" he demanded angrily.

Petunia felt another rush of guilt but narrowed her eyes. Things were different now. "Nothing, not that it's any of _your_ business anyway!"

It was like she hadn't spoken. "She'd been crying," he accused.

"That's between us!" she snapped, incensed that he'd stick his nose in their business.

"Well whatever it was, you better apologise," he warned.

Petunia stiffened. "Is that a threat?"

Severus blinked, confusion momentarily overwhelming his temper. "A threat?" he repeated, tasting the words like they were something foreign and exotic.

At the honest incomprehension in his dark eyes, Petunia felt a little silly. And the guilt piled back twofold.

"Never mind," she said snippily. "Where is Lily now?"

Face still troubled, he murmured, "She went to get changed. She said she was fine but," he seemed to remember his anger and practically pinned her in place with the force of his glare, "She's not. Whatever you did—fix it."

"We've already made up," Petunia said simply.

His face hardened. "Then why is she still miserable?"

"That's a different argument."

Severus just stared at her and she sniffed at his incredulity. "You just don't understand women," she informed him haughtily, as she swept past.

Petunia could feel his bewildered stare as he watched her leave and had to struggle not to wince. _Dangerous?_She was almost embarrassed. But for now, she had a sister to find. Petunia grimaced as she realized how much Lily was going to gloat over this. In future, she'd have to make sure that she didn't judge so quickly, if only to preserve her dignity.

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><p><strong>AN: Sooo…what do you think? Tell me! Please review!**


	14. Unexpected Allies

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters! *sob***

**A/N: Sorry for the delay! Both my beta and I were crazy busy lately but hopefully things have calmed somewhat! : ) Here's the chapter…  
><strong>

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><p>The 'plan' made Remus nervous. The fact that it was still more of a general aim as opposed to any concrete strategy did nothing to soothe him.<p>

_Get rid of Snape._

Oh, it sounded simple, there weren't even that many syllables involved. Unfortunately Remus was intimately aware that real life was seldom so clear cut. He didn't doubt Sirius' tale—the guilt and loathing in his friend's eyes had been too raw to be anything but genuine and given Remus' familiarity with both, he was quite confident in his diagnosis. No, the threat was real enough.

It was the Snape aspect that troubled him.

It shouldn't. On the surface Sirius' concerns made sense. Snape was a Slytherin after all and reportedly from a very Dark, reclusive Pureblood family. Now if he only _behaved_ like a Slytherin should, Remus wouldn't be pacing around the Owlery in agitation the day before the exams were due to start, trying to wrestle his pesky conscience into submission instead of studying.

Snape didn't seem to believe that the world should bow and kiss his feet like that second year, Malfoy and although his tongue could be sharp enough to draw metaphorical blood, Remus had never heard of him raising his wand to anyone outside of the Marauders. Avery and Mulciber's little group weren't nearly so restrained.

He ducked absently as a group of owls flew in to roost, thinking hard. All that could be overlooked though. Maybe Snape was just sneakier, biding his time. Remus could believe _that_. James, Sirius and Peter certainly did. But the one thing that made no sense at all, and that he found impossible to dismiss, was Snape's choice in friends.

It was just too jarring to ignore. Two muggleborns and an Auror's son. Two Gryffindors and a Ravenclaw; when Slytherin made no secret of looking down on the other Houses. James and Sirius may assume that Snape had simply managed to dupe them into believing that he was harmless or maybe even enchanted them—but there was that word again. If there was one thing life had taught Remus Lupin, it was that nothing was ever _simple_.

Even if it was some sort of bizarre camouflage—and he couldn't think why such a thing would be necessary—Frank, Lily and Petunia were no fools. If Snape were like that bully Mulciber or that pompous bigot Malfoy, there was no way that one of them wouldn't notice. Remus stopped dead in the middle of his pacing and shook his head wearily, trying to dislodge the troublesome thoughts.

It wasn't like there was anything he could do about it anyway. Sirius and James were just trying to help and when it came down to it, Remus couldn't _really_ say they were wrong. He couldn't negate all the obvious evidence due to a hunch with nothing to back it up. He sighed and rested his arms on the large window, looking disconsolately over the grounds.

He was probably making a mountain out of molehill. If there was nothing to find, his friends would eventually have to admit defeat and if Remus _was_ wrong, three people would be pulled out of the fire. Squaring his shoulders, Remus nodded resolutely to himself as his mind slowly calmed.

He was about to head back to the common room, curl up with his exam notes and forget about this foolishness when something caught his eye. Three silhouettes zooming around on brooms near the forest. Curious, he watched until the darkening evening forced them to descend. It was only as they began the trek back to the castle that he noticed there was a fourth figure with them.

Bright laughter and exuberant voices floated up, making him smile…and nearly fall out the window when he realized that one of the laughing students was Snape. He glanced around the deserted Owlery as if hoping for another witness but was met only by the glitter of golden eyes as the birds watched his antics in silent bemusement.

Turning back, he looked down again. The figures were closer now, but even from this height he could recognize them. It was one of the few times he was almost glad the moon was approaching full. Before his disbelieving eyes, he finally saw the 'Severus' that Lily was always talking about. As he watched, the Slytherin playfully shoved Frank who responded by tackling him to the ground as Petunia leapt rather gracelessly out of the way. The expected hexes never came, only Petunia's scolding while Lily nearly fell over from laughing.

This Severus seemed so human, just another kid his own age. Remus felt his stomach clench suddenly. Out of the whole castle, including all of Slytherin House, _he_ was the most dangerous. It just seemed wrong to deflect that onto someone else. He mightn't be as brave as Sirius to own up to his secret but Remus found he couldn't condemn a boy that could easily have been him to a dirty inquisition without even a warning.

Without pausing to over-analyze the gaping flaws in this argument, he tore his eyes from the cheerful group below and hurried back to the common room. Curfew was looming and he still had to decide just how he was going to do this. It was a little unnerving. For the first time in years, Remus Lupin found himself actually following his instincts.

oOoOoOo

Lurking around the dungeons wasn't exactly Remus' idea of fun. He kept a death grip on his wand, hidden in the folds of his robes and tried to ignore the suspicious looks he was getting from the few Slytherins up this early. It did, however, let him know that all the rumors about the snakes' common room being in the bowels of the castle were probably true. Which meant that he was at least in the right place.

His knuckles creaked as another Slytherin passed, giving him a superior once over before turning his nose up in distain. Remus had to close his eyes and lean against the cool stone wall to keep from doing something stupid. The full moon was in a week and the Wolf was getting a little too close to the surface. With his eyes closed he missed when Snape finally showed up but the sudden drag and shove had his eyes snapping open and his arms pin-wheeling for balance.

He banged his hip painfully against a desk just as a door slammed behind him and looked up to see a wand aimed right between his eyes. Remus froze, hands coming up instinctively.

"Drop it."

The icy tone made him shiver before the words filtered through.

"What?" he asked in confusion. Staring at the menacing piece of wood in his face was making him go rather cross-eyed.

"Your wand!"

Remus finally tore his eyes away from the threat in front of him to regard his wand in surprise.

"Oh right," he said sheepishly, "I forgot. I can see why this mightn't have given you the best impression." Gathering up all his courage, he slowly turned his back to gently place it on one of the desks.

As he stepped away, hoping that Snape couldn't actually hear his heart pounding, he adopted a nonchalant expression and tried for a confident smile. It didn't help that he couldn't bring himself to look past the wand in his face. It only hit him then just how reckless he was being. He was alone with a Slytherin, who may or may not be involved with a possible Dark Lord but who at the very least had well-known Dark tendencies—and no-one even knew where he was. It was a struggle to hold the smile after that.

"Where are your friends?" Snape demanded, almost as if they were following the same train of thought.

"Still asleep," Remus admitted miserably. "We stayed up late last night cramming for Astrology."

He was sure something painful was in his immediate future, so he had to fight to hide his surprise when the wand lowered, revealing a pair of wary dark eyes.

"If you're not here for some form of payback—"

"No!" Remus blurted, finally realizing why the Slytherin had been so aggressive. It wasn't as if he didn't have good reason after all. "No," he repeated, "I don't know if your friends told you, but I didn't agree with all the fighting in the first place."

Snape regarded him with something akin to distaste. "Yes, they told me you…_helped_," he ground out. "So if you're here to collect on your debt—"

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" Remus snapped in exasperation, momentarily forgetting to be scared. "Bloody Slytherins, can't you think in anything but bargains and who owes who?"

Snape blinked but didn't seem offended by his outburst. "I take it that's _not_ why you're here then," he said wryly.

"No!" Remus growled, resisting the urge to throw up his arms with difficulty. Still it looked like Snape was finally beginning to catch on. At least the wand had vanished.

"So what you're saying is," Snape said carefully, "that you're not here for revenge over what I did to Potter, but you're not here to collect on what you did for me either."

"Exactly!" Remus said triumphantly. "And you don't _owe_ me anything, I'm not a Slytherin. It shouldn't have taken me so long to do the right thing anyway." Snape looked unimpressed, not that Remus had expected anything different.

"Well as noble as that is," he replied with an air of finding it anything but, "perhaps you'd care to fill me in on exactly why you _are_ here."

Seeing that Snape was staring at him with only tenuous patience, Remus cut to the chase.

"I have some information you might find useful," he said cautiously, an idea suddenly springing to mind. Maybe he could use this opportunity to find out if his dubious instincts were actually trustworthy. Considering what he was, he'd never felt very comfortable following them.

"Sirius has good reason to think that Purebloods aren't going to be very healthy to be around soon," he said cautiously, noting a flicker of something in those dark eyes.

But Snape merely snorted. "Black's a Pureblood himself, isn't he?" he pointed out mockingly. "Thanks, but I'm already quite aware that close proximity to Sirius Black is bad for my health."

Remus winced at that but could hardly argue with the truth. Instead, he squared his shoulders and continued doggedly. "Yes well, Sirius is a Gryffindor…and something of a black sheep in his family. It's Slytherins who are so obsessed with blood purity."

Snape narrowed his eyes. "Does this conversation have a point?"

Remus examined the irritated Slytherin closely. So far Snape really didn't seem to have a clue what he was talking about. It was encouraging. Maybe his family was so reclusive they were out of touch with current events.

"There's someone calling himself a 'Dark Lord' who's been approaching Pureblood families, mostly Slytherins," he said bluntly, focusing all his senses on the boy standing before him. "He's trying to build up a following to get back to—well you know…the _old _ways."

Snape tried masterfully to cover his incomprehension but when faced with a furiously focused Werewolf this close to the full moon, it was already too late. "Sweet Merlin but you have no idea what I'm talking about," Remus breathed, almost giddy with relief. "I guess he hasn't got to all the Purebloods yet!"

"Shut up Lupin," Snape snarled, killing Remus' mirth with one baleful glare. "If any of this is even remotely true, you must be bloody suicidal to come loiter around the _Slytherin_ dungeons and spout off other people's secrets like you've been force-fed Veritaserum!"

For the first time, Remus took a good look at his surroundings. Snape had pushed them into an empty classroom but that didn't change where they were.

"If you have even a single brain cell knocking around that vacuum inside your skull Lupin," Snape hissed, "you'll run back to your Gryffindor mates and forget all about this conversation!"

"Well it probably won't matter soon," Remus argued defensively. After all, if a family as Dark as _Snape's_ hadn't been approached yet, then this guy clearly didn't have much of a following—or else he was just all talk. "The Aurors will probably wrap this up before it even gets off the ground!"

"If that's the case," Snape asked caustically, "then why did you bother wandering all the way down here to tell _me,_ of all people?"

"Because James and Sirius are worried about Lily and Frank," Remus snapped angrily, "and they aren't going to give you a chance to hurt them!"

Seeing Snape's eyes widen a fraction, Remus felt a small sliver of satisfaction at finally being able to provoke a human reaction. Conspiracies and Dark Lord's didn't merit a twitch but mention his friends… Remus filed that away to think about later.

"They're going to try and prove you're an asshole," he continued, thoroughly fed up, "which shouldn't be too hard. I just wanted to give you a head's up."

Annoyed with this whole conversation and depressed at the time wasted that could've been used for last minute studying, he snatched his wand off the table and headed for the door. He'd done his duty, leveled the playing field. His conscience was appeased…or it better be!

"Why?"

He paused with his hand on the doorknob. Why indeed. He didn't actually have a solid reason. "It just…it felt right," he said lamely.

"Betraying your friends felt right?" he was asked coolly.

The Wolf surged and Remus spun, spitting a curse which the other boy dodged with ease. He looked surprised though and then grudgingly impressed.

"Guess you've got some spine after all, Lupin," he said approvingly.

Remus lowered his wand and leant heavily against one of the desks, mentally throttling the Wolf, pushing it back down.

"I would never betray them," he spat, trying not to pant with the effort. "I just know they'll regret this in the long run, when they find out you're innocent." Not that they'd ever believe him if he tried to tell them.

A choked laugh made him look up and he was rather alarmed to see the twisted grin on Snape's face. "An innocent Slytherin," he laughed, "yes I'm sure they'll have no problem accepting _that_. Next they can start tracking down carnivorous snarflies with Lovegood!"

Remus made a face. "When you put it that way…" he sighed. "But this time they _are_ only trying to help."

Seeing Snape's sudden thunderous expression, Remus quickly shut up. He remembered all too well what happened the last time he'd tried to defend the Marauders to one of their… The thought stuttered as he refused to think the last word and instead skipped to Petunia's furious reaction. He'd a feeling Snape would be more…volatile.

They stared at each other for an uncomfortable moment until Snape broke the silence. "Don't go around blathering about this bogyman you were talking about earlier," he warned and it was so unexpected that Remus nearly fell off the desk. "I've heard whispers in the common room; I don't know the details but…" He trailed off and glared at him. "A warning for a warning. We're even now."

Remus didn't bother mentioning he'd no intention of bringing this up ever again and just nodded.

"Thank you…Severus."

The door was just swinging shut behind him when he caught, "Thank _you_…Remus." It was so low a normal person would never have picked it up. Suddenly in a much better mood, Remus headed towards the Great Hall for breakfast. He loved being right.

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><p><strong>AN: Please review! Just takes a minute—let me know what you think! : )**


	15. Two Worlds

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, etc, etc, blah.**

**A/N: Thank you again to the lovely, wonderful, spectacular (and highly intelligent! :P ) people that reviewed, as well as those favoriting or alerting this fic!**

**You guys are the best! XD**

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><p>They were lying on the damp grass; soaking up the sun and enjoying the freedom, if not the quiet. Half the school seemed to have had the same idea.<p>

"Thank Merlin that's over," Frank mumbled, his voice muffled by the arm he'd thrown over his face. Lily fought a grin even though she knew he wouldn't see it.

"Oh come on," Tuney snorted, "it wasn't _that_ bad!" Unfortunately, she lacked the necessary energy to put any force behind the words and Lily could practically _hear_ Sev smirk as he scented metaphorical blood.

"Oh of course not, Tuney," he agreed earnestly, "After all, it's not like we all just staggered out of our last exam and collapsed onto the nearest piece of wet nature we could find."

Lily chuckled soundlessly as Frank snorted and Tuney huffed indignantly. "I'll admit I'm a little…"

"Drained?" Frank offered.

"Exhausted?" Sev suggested innocently.

"A little _tired_," she finished haughtily, "but just because you two have no stamina, don't try to lump Lily and I in with you!"

There was shocked silence for a moment and Lily couldn't suppress her grin this time, turning her head away to hide it. The lazy discussion soon dissolved into all out bickering. For a moment she considered helping her sister out, but after listening for to a few verbal volleys she decided that Tuney had it covered. Satisfied and remarkably content, she let her eyes drift over the other students relaxing on the lawns.

When she caught sight of the Marauders sprawled beside the lake, she tensed slightly. Sev had reluctantly informed them of his and Remus' bizarre conversation just before the exams, despite clearly wanting to keep it to himself. She was rather pleased that he took his promises so seriously.

Still despite the warning, no sudden attacks had been launched—and there was no chance of Severus keeping it from them this time. He had at least one of them trailing after him like some deranged stalker at all times. She knew he hated it but on some level he seemed constantly surprised when they continued to show up. Lily half thought she was imagining that reaction though, it's not like it made any sense and he was so difficult to read at the best of times.

But there was no need to worry at the moment. The Marauders were out of commission, slumped by the lakeside, clearly recovering. Remus had run them ragged studying, dragging them off to the library every spare second. She'd heard him explaining that if they got good marks they'd have more freedom during the summer.

Lily had a fair idea of the _real_ reason though, and she was grateful. As she watched, Sirius spelled a globe of water to burst over a dozing James' head, causing him to jolt awake spluttering. After that it was all out war, much to the amusement of the students lounging around them.

She caught Remus' eye as he leaned away from the mayhem and he shot her a smile. She smiled back, feeling her cheeks warm slightly. He was so brave to secretly help them out and it was such a relief to know that another of her Housemates—besides Frank—didn't think that Sev was evil incarnate just because he was in Slytherin. The mere thought made her twitch angrily. It was so melodramatic. As if Sev had a single evil bone in his body! It was just more evidence of House rivalry gone mad.

Their gaze was broken when a wave of water suddenly swamped Remus. He stood up, shook himself like an incredibly pissed off dog and then threw himself into the fight with gusto. Lily sighed and looked up at Hogwarts dizzying towers. It would be a wrench to leave, if only for the summer.

"Yeah," Sev agreed softly and she winced, realizing she'd said the last thought out loud.

"But it'll still be here when we come back," Tuney said practically, but even her voice was wistful.

"It's only a few months," Frank comforted them. "Besides Sev, you were stuck here during the Christmas holidays as well, weren't you? You must be dying to get home!"

Only the fact that she was lying so close alerted Lily to the sudden tension in her friend's body. She frowned, not understanding until a hazy memory of their first week and that cold excuse for a letter surfaced.

"Of course," Sev replied smoothly. "It's just that Hogwarts is…special."

Lily blinked at his unconcerned tone as the others agreed. Maybe he and his mother had made up. Just because she hadn't seen him send any owls didn't mean that he hadn't. After all, mothers couldn't stay angry at their kids—it's just not the way it worked. Feeling slightly better about the whole situation, she joined the others naming what they _wouldn't_ miss during the summer.

No surprise what Sev picked.

It was only when they were walking back to the castle that she remembered his unexplained tension and felt a small slither of unease settle in her gut.

* * *

><p>Considering how relieved she'd been to get away from Hogwarts over Christmas, Petunia certainly wasn't expecting to miss it as much as she did. She'd thought summer would be a welcome break from all that freak stuff—a relief. Instead she was fidgety and bad tempered, constantly out of step with the world around her.<p>

She found herself waiting for food to appear before her on the table and to disappear without the worry of washing up, much to her mother's disapproval and her own consternation. Lily opened every window in the house so that Frank's owl would be able to deliver his promised letters but the resulting drafts nearly crippled their father. Petunia almost offered to use the warming spell they'd learned over the winter, only to bite her tongue at the last minute.

After months and months of having her wand on her at all times, she'd grown so used to the comforting _sense_ of its presence she'd barely noticed it anymore. But there was no magic during the holidays. She hadn't been in any state to pay attention when her wand was locked away at Christmas but now its absence grated. She contemplated asking for it back but she honestly didn't trust herself not to use magic on reflex. And that was one thing Petunia Evans _never_ thought she'd have to worry about.

Eventually she ended up in her room, staring down at the box left from last May. The lid lay on the desk beside her as she gazed at the contents speculatively. She'd started them back then because it's what all the other girls in her class had been doing, not because she'd ever intended on giving them to anyone. But now…there were four.

The last one was only half finished, abandoned at the end of term and shoved into this box never to be thought of again. Petunia snorted quietly but didn't look away. Slowly she reached down to pick one up and regarded it critically. It wasn't very pretty—another reason she'd never done anything with them.

Petunia was well aware that she was a perfectionist and didn't apologize for it. Unfortunately, she'd never been particularly talented in arts and crafts. It was more Lily's area. She'd refused to give up though—it'd been the 'in' thing after all—so she'd struggled on until school gave out for the summer and she'd finally had to admit defeat. The last attempt was just as awful as the first.

Still, she found herself reluctant to throw them out as she'd intended. Petunia had never been a very demonstrative person but now she caught herself wondering… Unlike her friends from muggle school, she could imagine giving these to her new group without cringing—even if she knew that Frank and Severus were likely to grumble.

She tentatively touched the unfinished one; that could be Frank's. She'd complete it over the summer and give it to him on the train. She smirked slightly. She could just imagine his reaction, polite yet slightly dismayed. Gathering up the other three, Petunia closed the box and stood. She hadn't been able to just shrug off her fight with Lily like always, the guilt was still there.

This could be a reminder, to Lily and to herself. Proof that she was willing to change. Petunia lifted her chin and nodded once to herself. It was time to start acting like an older sister should.

* * *

><p>Severus and his mother had issues. They both knew it, though neither admitted it aloud. Unlike the obvious hatred with which his father regarded his 'unnatural' son, his mother's dislike was more insidious. She used to love him; Severus' memories were clear enough to be certain of that. Even after his seventh birthday, things hadn't changed immediately. It had been a subtle, creeping thing that had shamed Eileen even as it slowly consumed her.<p>

Bitterness and resentment had built until she no longer saw the son she once adored and instead found herself confronted with the source of all her woes. Her care and smiles gradually tapered off, as did her attempts to shield him from his father's wrath. After all if she had to suffer, then why should the cause of it be spared?

Severus didn't know exactly what was going through his mother's mind but he was far from stupid and quickly deduced the root of the problem. Unfortunately, it was nothing he could fix and her resulting spiral into despair cut him deeply—especially since it was his fault. He tried everything he could think of to buoy her spirits, only to be met with apathy and increasing spite.

So perhaps it was understandable that he was confused but wholeheartedly delighted to have her seated across the kitchen table, her dark eyes alight and focused solely on him as he told her all about Hogwarts. An alarm sang in the back of his mind but he ignored it, too happy to care about anything except his mother's attention and wide smile.

He told her all about his Sorting, the Slytherin common room and how the Sorting Hat had mentioned her. His mother lapped it up like she'd been starving. She asked about Dumbledore and Hagrid and Peeves and if McGonagall still wore tartan and actually laughed at Severus' descriptions.

It'd been years since he'd heard his mother laugh.

Their shabby surroundings faded away as Severus talked and his mother told him stories about her own schooldays. The hours flew by and when the door slammed open to rattle against the wall they both jumped, despite usually being inured to such noises.

Tobias Snape gave them a bleary-eyed glare before snorting wetly in distain and staggering to the threadbare couch. The resulting silence was broken by the sound of canned laughter as the television sprang to life, as if mocking the genuine joy that had existed minutes before.

With a curl of his lip, Severus dismissed his father and turned back to his mother in time to see the last traces of that beautiful smile fade from her lips as her eyes darkened once more. She blinked once, twice, as if released from a spell and her face crumpled.

"Mother!" Severus blurted desperately, "I forgot to tell you I saw your gobstones trophy! It's still there, in—"

"Enough."

That single word sliced through the air and Severus' mouth snapped shut. His mother's eyes were closed but where before she had looked transported, now it seemed as if his words physically hurt her.

"Mum…" he whispered, "Please…"

She shook her head jerkily. "Stop. I do not want to discuss this anymore."

"But—"

"Enough!" she screamed and he flinched back into his seat, his eyes wide. He had never heard her raise her voice before. "I don't want to hear you rub it in, everything that you have…that I lost! Leave me alone—just get out of my sight!"

Severus sat frozen in the chair, unable to move a muscle. He felt a sharp sting across his cheek and his head snapped to the side.

"GO!"

Finally the paralysis broke and he bolted from the kitchen, just in time to miss the cup aimed at his head. He heard it shatter against the wall, heard his father's angry voice rise, complaining about "this infernal racket" but he didn't stop to look back, slamming out the door as if the hounds of hell were after him as his mother's long suppressed shriek of fury rang out behind him.

oOoOoOo

He paid no attention to his surroundings, never a good idea around Spinner's End but he was lucky. No-one tried to take advantage of his distraction. His parents' argument raged behind him for the whole street to hear, if anyone actually cared. Such things were common enough here.

The only difference was that for the first time, his mother's voice could be heard shrieking obscenities right alongside his father. There was nothing now to separate her from every other foulmouthed fishwife on their dingy street. He was relieved when their voices faded. He walked on autopilot, not knowing or even caring where he was going.

It felt like something was breaking inside.

Numbly he put a hand to his throbbing cheek. He'd had worse, but never from _her_. Surfacing enough to notice that the streets were becoming familiar, he realized his feet were taking him towards the playground. It was as good a place as any. He certainly didn't plan on going home tonight. And it wasn't like he hadn't stayed there before. The playground was safe.

As he approached the gates, he saw a blonde girl sitting glumly on the swings. It took until he was halfway to the slide for the ice around his brain to thaw enough that he recognized Petunia. She saw him at the same time and noticeably brightened.

"Severus!"

He wanted to ignore her. The pain in his chest refused to subside, leaving him feeling too feral to be civil. If he went to her, he'd lash out and say something hurtful. A large part of him didn't care.

"Sev…?"

He jerked in shock when he realized she'd come over while he'd been brooding. He hissed angrily and saw her take a step back in surprise. It soothed the raw ache in his chest somewhat. He'd heard the phrase 'spread the pain' before but it'd never seemed such a good idea as it did now. Dimly he knew he should back off before he said something unforgivable but the urge was a faint, fleeting thing; kind of like his mother's love.

Petunia was looking at him uncertainly, twisting something in her hands before shoving it at him. He almost dropped it out of spite but her anxiety was enough to make him pause. He glanced down, ready to tear strips off her for whatever stupid thing it was.

It was certainly ugly enough. A bulky uneven braid of brightly coloured string tied the letters 'F-R-I-E-N-D-S' together. It was stupid. It was girly. It was pure poison to any self-respecting male ego.

And it was exactly what he needed to see.

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><p>Petunia wrung her hands nervously, half-expecting the gift to be thrown back in her face. It'd been obvious the mood he was in but if she backed off now, she knew she'd probably never get the courage again. She watched with a sinking feeling as he sneered at her, looking down impatiently. That was when he stopped breathing.<p>

Or so it appeared. No-one could do _still_ like Severus could. She normally only saw it right before the curses started flying. She wasn't sure what it meant that he'd frozen up now. All she knew was that he was staring at her lumpy friendship bracelet as if it could unlock every vault in Gringotts. It was starting to make her a little uncomfortable actually.

"Um…Sev?" she asked hesitantly. "Are you all right?"

She flinched at his jagged bark of laughter and felt a flash of worry.

"Severus…" she began again but he cut her off, his black eyes boring into her.

"What is this?" he demanded, waving the bracelet in her face.

Annoyed she pushed his hand down. "It's a friendship bracelet, genius!" she snapped and he blinked, his gaze dropping to stare at it again.

"And you're giving it to _me?_"

Petunia frowned. "Of course," she said irritably. "The four of us have been joined at the hip for months. Who else would I embarrass with these?"

He didn't reply just turned it over once before pushing onto his left wrist and pulling his sleeve over it. "Thanks," he muttered gruffly, not meeting her eyes.

Petunia just nodded, completely bewildered. "Sure," she said cautiously. "I know it's not—"

"It's perfect," Severus snapped and the awkward moment vanished as if it had never existed. Petunia rolled her eyes. The boy was just so antagonistic, even when complimenting someone he had to be hostile.

She was about to tell him so, when a shout caught their attention. Lily raced towards them, red faced and out of breath as if she'd run the whole way from the house.

"Lily!" Severus called, alarmed.

Her only response was to stop and clutch her sides. They hurried over to her as she gulped down air as if it was going out of style.

"Lily, are you all right?" Severus demanded anxiously.

Petunia looked at her sister critically. "Did you just run all the way here?" she asked incredulously. At the resulting nod, she sniffed disapprovingly. "I can't think what was so important—"

Lily's arm shot out, her friendship bracelet on proud display as she thrust a paper under Petunia's nose. It was wrinkled from her tight grip but she could just make out the words, '_Daily Prophet.' _

"Frank…sent…" Lily gasped as Severus rubbed her back worriedly. "Read…"

Curious and a little bit apprehensive, Petunia unfolded the paper—and gasped.

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><p><strong>AN: Don't keep me in suspense—let me know what you think! Review please! ;)**


	16. Disturbing News

**A/N: I'm back! Thank you to everyone who reviewed—you reminded me I had to hurry and get back to this story. So sorry to leave you all hanging—especially on a cliffie! I've just struggled my way free of **_**mounds**_** of work and it took longer than I thought. Hope you enjoy the chapter! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters…much to my everlasting regret!  
><strong>

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><p>Tuney let out a strange strangled gasp and dropped the paper as if burned. As Lily watched, Sev snatched it out of the air and started to read.<p>

"How—" Tuney stopped swallowing hard. Her face had gone the colour of old cheese. "How could anyone…?"

Sev lifted his gaze from the paper, his face grim. "It looks like Lupin's bogeyman has more substance than we thought."

Lily felt a familiar rush of anger sweep through her like fire and welcomed the sensation. It was far better than the cold, sickened feeling that seemed to have lodged itself in her throat. "I can't believe the Marauders are _so_ stupid…" she growled, taking refuge in her usual rant.

"Never mind that," Tuney interrupted impatiently, "Why on earth did Frank send _this_ to us?"

"His letter said he thought we ought to know," Lily said softly, glancing back at the paper hanging limply from Sev's hands and suppressing a shiver.

"What?" Petunia demanded shrilly. "Why? D-does he think…? This hasn't anything to do with _us!_"

"Muggleborns are being targeted," Severus said simply. "It's better to know and be prepared, even if it's unlikely that we'll ever have to seriously worry about it."

Lily smiled at his use of 'we'. Even though he was a Halfblood and technically safe, he was still standing with them. Slytherin or not, she doubted it'd even occurred to him to consider anything else. This was the side of him she wished the Marauders could see.

"But you don't think we're in any danger?" Tuney asked anxiously.

Sev looked down at the paper again, his dark eyes unreadable. "There's always danger," he said finally. "You could be hit by a bus tomorrow."

Tuney let out an offended huff. "Oh _thanks,_ Severus," she muttered crabbily.

Lily grinned. "I think what Sev is trying to say, is that it's extremely unlikely that out of all the Muggleborns in the country, some Wizard serial killer is going to come here of all places," she said confidently.

"But we still can't discount the possibility," Sev warned, narrowing his eyes at her blasé attitude, "however slim."

Lily sobered up and nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. "I just wish the Prophet hadn't been so graphic about…" She trailed off, not wanting to think about the detailed, almost gleeful descriptions of the state of the bodies.

Tuney snorted, her colour returning somewhat. "They're going to milk it for all it's worth," she said in disgust. "Don't forget they're making money out of these murders."

By silent consent, they made their way over to the swings while Severus finished reading the article, his face a mask of rapidly rising fury. "Who _is_ this monster?" he snarled at last, flinging the paper down.

"Who cares who he is?" Petunia said practically. "As long as he gets caught, that's all I care about."

"_Lord_ Voldemort?" he continued, glaring at the paper with such force that Lily was afraid it would spontaneously combust. "Thinks a lot of himself, doesn't he?"

"Voldemort is a ridiculous name anyway," Tuney chimed in, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"It sounds French or something," Lily mused picking up the paper, carefully avoiding the more explicit paragraphs until she found the name again.

"Giving himself airs I expect," Tuney said haughtily. "A real lord certainly wouldn't run around butchering innocent people!"

Lily and Severus exchanged an amused glance. "Of course, Tuney," he agreed, rolling his eyes. "Because rich people have _never_ killed anybody."

Tuney pursed her lips in irritation. "You know what I mean," she said disgruntled, "People of a higher class wouldn't dash about slaughtering people."

"True," Severus said absently. "When Purebloods don't want to get their hands dirty, they stick to poison—or pay someone else to do it."

"_Severus!"_ Lily and Tuney scolded in unison. He blinked at their reaction. "What?" he asked sounding honestly bewildered.

"This would be an example of why you make people nervous Sev," Lily said gently.

"Everyone knows it's true," he stated unapologetically.

"Yes, but you're not supposed to _say_ it!" Tuney said in exasperation.

"It doesn't matter," Lily said seeing their words weren't having much of an impact. "Have either of you finished your History of Magic essay?"

At their negative responses, she brightened. "Me neither," she said cheerfully. "Want to work on it together? It'll be quicker!" she baited hopefully.

"Fine," Tuney said shrewdly, "but then I want help on Charms."

"Deal!" Lily said in satisfaction before turning to her friend. "Sev? We'll help you with Herbology…"

She blinked in surprise as she regarded the shadow sitting next to her. He had completely withdrawn into himself. "Sev?" she asked hesitantly, exchanging a concerned look with Petunia.

"My books are at home," he said suddenly, breaking the silence. He shrugged nonchalantly but his eyes were blank. "I don't feel like walking all the way back to get them. You guys go, I'll do it later."

Lily looked uncertainly at Tuney. She couldn't find fault with anything he'd _said_ but his demeanor and all her instincts were screaming that something was wrong.

"Oh you're not getting out of it that easily," her sister blustered in response and Lily almost kissed her. "I _know_ you hate Herbology and we need help with Potions!" She waved her friendship bracelet in his face. "These mean that we have to…help each other out," she said, her voice losing some of its confidence as he turned to look at her in open astonishment.

"Right!" Lily agreed, enthusiastically brandishing her own bracelet. "Friends don't let friends suffer through homework alone! We've got piles of parchment and you can borrow our books. Right Tuney?" she asked, looking to her for back up.

"Of course!" she said staunchly.

Slowly Severus nodded, the terrible emptiness in his eyes receding. "I suppose as a Slytherin, I should defend my Head of House from the aneurysm your essays would cause."

"Hey!"

"Sev!"

Lily and Tuney both yelled out in offence but Lily was too delighted by the unrepentant smirk that crossed her friend's face to worry about her ego. She wasn't sure if she'd been making something out of nothing, but her paranoia was appeased if nothing else.

"Lily?"

She looked up to see Sev raise an enquiring eyebrow. He and Tuney were already standing and ready to go.

"Oh right!" she said flustered, following. She got two steps before running back and scooping up the paper. "Wouldn't do for any Muggles to find it," she explained at Petunia's questioning look.

"So History of Magic?" Sev asked as they headed out of the playground.

"Yeah," Lily said, scrunching her eyebrows. "I think it's about the Great Goblin Riot of 1863. Or was it the Goblin Rebellion…or the Goblin War? Or maybe…"

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><p>It turned out to be an in-depth essay on the bloody Goblin Uprising of 1836. Petunia grumbled but she would have done that no matter the topic. History of Magic was far from her favorite subject, though Severus suspected that had more to do with Binns' non-corporeal status than his goblin obsession. Tuney was still muggle enough to be creeped out by ghosts.<p>

The weather broke spectacularly two days later, leaving them with nothing better to do than homework. After the first day, Severus had returned home only long enough to stuff his books into a battered old knapsack and take off. He hadn't met either of his parents and Severus found that he much preferred it that way.

He spent that night in the playground but after the rain started he had no choice but to brave going home. Things were ominously quiet on that front. He suspected they'd both blown themselves out for the moment and needed time to recover; his mother from the sudden release of all her repressed rage and hate, and his father from his wife's abrupt display of backbone.

The first time he saw his mother after the fight, she was sitting at the kitchen table with a black eye, staring lifelessly into a cup of cold tea. Severus couldn't move. He wanted to yell and scream but he just wasn't wired that way. More than anything, he wanted her to look up with guilt, to apologize and say she didn't mean it even if they'd both know it was lie. He wanted her to at least _pretend_ to care.

But she never even looked at him.

He spent as much time as he could at Lily and Tuney's house despite the driving rain that refused to relent. Even if they were just doing homework, it was better than nothing. And every time he lifted his left arm he was reminded that they, at least, wanted him. For that long-denied feeling of acceptance, he had the uncomfortable realization that there wasn't much he _wouldn't_ do.

But even there he couldn't escape reality. Frank sent the Prophet every day now at Lily's request and every day, a new headline screaming about another 'Muggleborn Massacre' graced the front page. Even the writing of the most rabid reporters had lost that excited edge they'd noticed on the first day and started sounding more obviously disturbed as a month passed without any form of the retribution the Aurors had been so quick to promise.

Articles began to appear damning the Aurors for inaction, dithering and even cowardice. They were rapidly rebutted but without this 'Dark Lord's' head on a stick, it simply wasn't enough. People were beginning to get scared. At the first Wizard-born murder, panic erupted across the magical community. All of a sudden, things weren't just alarming, they were _serious_. Unlike the others, this victim had been from a Wizarding family—not a Pureblood but far from a Muggleborn either. What he _had_ been however, was vocal, especially in condemning Lord Voldemort.

After that, the articles lost the personal attacks and stuck to dry, if horrifying fact. No-one wanted to be next. Especially considering that the man's entire family was found tortured to death alongside him. Lily and Tuney became pale and drawn, unable to distance themselves from the atrocities they read about. He knew they were identifying too closely with the victims. Every day that passed without an arrest, every day detailing another muggleborn murder, they grew more anxious, more fearful. It got to the point where Severus began to dread the arrival of the morning paper. It cast a shadow on the whole day, creating a tense, oppressive atmosphere. In the end, even Mr. and Mrs. Evans started to get concerned about their daughters strange behavior and Severus knew he had to act.

A bleary-eyed Lily stumbled into the kitchen at an obscenely early hour, as had become her habit, to collect the grisly newspaper before her parents woke up and saw it. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she made her way blindly across the kitchen to open the window before realizing it was already open and a dark figure was bending over Frank's owl. Her nerves were so on edge that she actually screamed a little before recognition hit.

"S-Sev?" she stuttered, confused. "How did you—"

"Get in?" he finished slyly. "I have my ways."

They waited for a tense moment but no-one seemed to have woken at her hastily aborted scream. Getting over her fright she approached slowly, feeling a little embarrassed about her friend seeing her in her nightie but too curious to just leave. It was her house after all. "What are you doing?"

"Sending a letter to Frank," he explained absently, tying the parchment securely to the bird's leg. "He won't be sending the Prophet anymore."

"What!" Lily demanded indignantly. "Severus Snape, you have absolutely no right—"

"We already know what's happening," he said severely. "Worrying yourselves sick over things you can't change isn't going to help!"

"We need to know what's going on!"

"Oh yes, because _that_ will make a difference."

Lily glared, stung by his sarcasm. "What if he gets caught?" she demanded. There was no need to clarify who 'he' was.

"Then Frank will owl us," Severus snapped. "Lily have you looked at yourself recently? Or Tuney?"

She blinked. Tuney _had_ been looking a bit peaky…

"It's wearing away at you," he said, making an obvious effort to gentle his voice and the concern in his usually impenetrable dark eyes softened her anger. "We'll hear about it enough at school, so why waste the summer worrying about it? With any luck, it'll all be over by September anyway."

"Do you think so?" she asked hopefully.

He looked at her with serious eyes. "I don't know," he said quietly. "But it's not our problem, Lily. Let the Aurors and the Ministry sort it out."

Her shoulders slumped as his words removed a weight she hadn't even noticed and she closed her eyes in acquiescence. She knew he was right. Tuney would be only too delighted not to read those gruesome reports every morning. In truth, the thought of just ignoring the situation didn't sit well with Lily's Gryffindor nature but at the same time it was such a relief to hear the truth in Sev's words. There was nothing she could do.

"Send it then," she said tiredly. "I could use a bit more sleep anyway."

He smiled slightly at her unspoken agreement and practically threw the owl out the window as if he thought she was going to change her mind any second. Lily grinned at the peeved hoots that floated back to them, feeling her eyes droop sleepily. She yawned as Sev caught her hand and started escorting her to the stairs.

"How did you get in here anyway Sev?" she demanded groggily as they began to climb. "I thought we couldn't use magic during summer."

She caught his amused glance and attempted to scowl but her face just wouldn't co-operate. It was as if the month of disrupted sleep was catching up with her all at once.

"We can't," he confirmed gravely, even as his eyes danced at her semi-conscious state. "You need to go back to bed. I don't know how you've done it all this time—Lily Evans is _not_ a morning person."

Lily grumbled under her breath. "Dodging the question," she accused blearily, "and you know what would've happened if Mum or Dad saw…"

She trailed off as Sev opened her bedroom door and gently propelled her inside. "Go to sleep Lily," he ordered, "I'll see you in a few hours. You promised to teach me to make a cake remember?"

She grinned at the thought as the door swung shut behind her and stumbled towards her bed. Sev made an excellent point. All that Lord Voldemort stuff was happening ages away in any case. The adults could sort it out—she had much more important things to focus on.

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><p><strong>AN: Hope it was worth the wait—let me know! **


	17. Old Faces, New Friends

**Disclaimer: I sadly don't own any HP-related characters; I just enjoy messing with them! I regret nothing. :P**

**A/N: To all who reviewed, favorited and alerted this story—Thank you.  
><strong>

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><p>When Lily told her Frank wouldn't be sending the Prophet anymore, Petunia was caught between relief and annoyance. She didn't see why Lily had been so insistent about getting it all this time anyway. In any case, it was a weight off her mind. Seeing all those people who should've been alive—she'd been terrified that she would recognize someone from school.<p>

She looked out the sitting room window at the watery sunlight breaking through the clouds. Behind her, yells and laughter broke out in the kitchen and Petunia rolled her eyes. If Lily was so determined that Severus should learn to bake, then shouldn't she have let him be taught by someone who could _actually_ cook? A sudden _fwulp_ made her look over in alarm just in time to see Lily, her red hair and freckles obscured with flour, stick her head out the door.

"Tuney!" she said brightly, blinking her big green eyes innocently. It probably would have been more effective if there hadn't been clumps of flour caught in her eyelashes.

"What?" Petunia asked warily.

"Do we have another weighing scale?"

She stiffened and glared at her sister. "If you've broken—"

"No, no, it's not _broken_ Tuney!" Lily protested, shrinking back. "It's just…um, never mind."

She disappeared back into the kitchen and Petunia heard furious whispers. Deciding that being absent would be her best bet when her mother returned from the shop; she got up and with a suspicious look at the clouds, grabbed her coat. She had no intention of being blamed for whatever disaster her sister had created this time. There was a reason she hadn't joined the 'lesson'.

With an apprehensive look at the ominously silent kitchen, she crept to the front door, closing it quietly behind her. The sun shone weakly past the heavy clouds, making Petunia hopeful that the weather would soon change for better. She was heartily sick of rain at this point. After hesitating a moment, she went right. Left would only take her to the playground and that was no fun on her own. Any further would lead her to Spinner's End and she had no intention of that either.

Right however, would bring her into town. Petunia was feeling restless and fidgety from being cooped up in the house all summer. Normally she'd be meeting her friends in town, going to birthday parties, having sleepovers at each other's houses. This enforced isolation was foreign and unwelcome. Of course, she hadn't missed the fact that none of her friends had contacted her despite their promises to never fall out of touch.

But then, Petunia knew that was partly her fault. It wasn't like Hogwarts had phones and the few letters she'd given to Professor McGonagall for muggle postage had been short and stilted. There was just so much she couldn't say. Still, she was a little hurt that they'd never written back or even attempted to call her. Still that didn't stop her venturing into town every now and then, hoping to run into them.

The shops weren't as enthralling as she remembered and Petunia immediately felt guilty, and not a little disloyal, for comparing the staid muggle window displays to the exotic exhibits in Diagon Alley. Angry at herself, she began browsing with fierce concentration, determined to be distracted. In fact she was so wrapped up in having a good time that she completely failed to notice her quarry pulling up short at the sight of her.

"Petunia?"

She whirled around and shrieked. "Diane! Lorraine!"

The three girls laughed and babbled for a good ten minutes, catching up and exchanging news. Eventually they linked arms with Petunia in the middle and continued down the street, chattering all the while.

"So what's boarding school like?" Diane demanded eagerly. "Is it awful? Or is it thrilling like all those Mallory Tower books?"

"Oh well, it's nothing like those books," Petunia said awkwardly, "but I really like it there."

"Don't you miss home?" Lorraine asked worriedly. "I don't think I'd be very happy locked up for most of the year!"

"I did at first," Petunia began thoughtfully, "or at least, I missed Mum and Dad but the castle is just—"

"_Castle?_" Diane exploded, "Are you serious? You live in a castle?"

Petunia felt herself blush at the admiring tone and nodded.

"Wow…" Diane breathed, looking dazed.

"What's it like?" Lorraine asked, wide eyed.

"Well it's very big, as you can imagine," she explained loftily, "which means a lot of running around if you want to get to classes on time. And it can be a bit drafty, although our common rooms are quite cozy—"

Lorraine was hanging on her every word but she had lost half her audience. Diane was staring across the street with a look of distaste.

"Lorraine, Petunia," she hissed in disgust, "Look at _that! _It's one of those Spinner's End brats!"

"_Here?_" Lorraine exclaimed and with a horrible sinking feeling Petunia turned to see Lily dragging a reluctant Severus down the street. She had to do a double-take before she could see what had so offended her friends. She was so used to seeing Sev in his school robes that she stopped paying much attention. But now, she was forcibly reminded of the ragged state of his summer attire.

"You don't think they're _all_ going to start coming into town, do you?" Lorraine asked fearfully as the two disappeared into the grocers.

"I certainly hope not!" Diane responded sounding scandalized. "Anyway, my father would never allow it!"

"Well that's alright then," Lorraine said sounding relieved. Petunia shifted uncomfortably.

"Shall we go then?" she asked a trifle desperately.

"No way," Diane said her eyes glittering. "I want to see what's going on."

"Diane," Lorraine said urgently, "I want to go. My mother told me to stay away from—"

She cut herself off as Lily and Severus emerged from the shop, Severus looking a little more relaxed and cradling a carton of eggs.

"Look at his clothes," Diane whispered, "has he no shame? He looks an absolute sight!"

"Hey, isn't that your sister, Petunia?" Lorraine asked curiously. Petunia cringed at the question, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her.

"Oh my God, it is!" Diane gasped. "What on earth is she _doing?_"

oOoOoOo

Petunia wandered home dejectedly. Her friends had understood her sudden need to rush off and berate her sister but the lie had stuck in her throat. It wasn't fair to be angry at Diane and Lorraine, especially since she'd have vehemently agreed with them only last summer. But somehow slipping back into that role wasn't as easy as she remembered. The whole conversation had become awkward and uncomfortable.

Too much had changed and she could explain none of it without sounding like a lunatic. She kicked a pebble disconsolately as she reached her door. Pushing it open, she was assaulted by a smell of burning and before she had time to think she was bursting into the kitchen.

"Tuney!" Lily warbled nervously. "Um…look, we saved it!"

Her sister gestured to the lopsided, slightly singed cake in the middle of the table and plastered on a wide smile. Petunia felt her stomach sink as Lily began rattling on about scales and eggs and started looking around for the damage.

"Where's Severus?" she asked flatly, breaking through the panicky chatter.

Lily looked trapped and Petunia narrowed her eyes. "Well you see…it's like this Tuney—"

"Got it!"

Petunia looked around in time to see a badly dressed blur dive behind Lily. An ominous hiss made Lily jump back to reveal Severus holding a lurid green bottle and wiping thick purple foam off the carpet.

"What _is_ that?" Petunia demanded shrilly.

The culprits exchanged a glance and Severus stood up. "There was a small accident—nothing to worry about," he hurried, seeing her expression, "and I remembered my Mum had an old bottle of Kitchen Companion left, so I brought it over."

They all looked at the carpet. Petunia couldn't see anything worth worrying about, apart from that one patch being suspiciously cleaner than the rest.

"Taken care of," Lily said in satisfaction throwing Sev a grateful look that Petunia obviously wasn't supposed to notice.

"Won't your mother be upset that you wasted her…" she floundered for a moment, "…stuff?"

"It wasn't a waste Petunia!" Lily insisted with the intensity of someone that just dodged a bullet.

"She won't mind," Severus assured her blandly. "She doesn't bother with cl—" he stopped and cleared his throat, "Wizarding products these days."

"Never mind that," Lily said hastily, pulling her sister towards the table. "What do you think? Sev and I spent ages on it!"

"It's a bit burnt," Severus added apologetically, glaring at the cake.

"It's not that bad," Petunia said thoughtfully, "with a bit of icing no-one would even notice."

Lily looked at her hopefully and even Severus looked intrigued despite himself.

"Right then," she ordered, "Severus get a bowl, Lily—icing sugar." As they rushed to follow her instructions, Petunia eyed the cake critically. She hadn't had any intention of getting involved but…even though it might take a lot of work, she found herself certain it would be worth it in the end.

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><p><strong>AN: Right, so this was my first (fleeting) moment with OCs. As experiments go, it was pretty nerve wracking. Hope you'll let me know what you think of this chapter! : )**


	18. Greetings and Farewells

**Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. T_T**

**A/N: Sorry about the gap between updates but college is being sadistic with the amount of projects/assignments! :( Still, I'll update when I can and hopefully it won't be too long before regular service resumes! :P**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed—you really helped me get back in the spirit of things despite exhausting, evil projects! ^_^ Hope you enjoy the chapter.**

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><p>The scarlet steam engine was obscured by a shroud of mist as Frank huddled under his mother's massive umbrella. They seemed to be the only fixed point, like a rock that forced the constant flow of harried parents and impatient children to stream around them. Frank shifted uncomfortably in the damp air and scanned the crowds again, trying not to let his impatience get the better of him. <em>Where were they?<em>

"Frank!"

His head immediately snapped around, coming to rest on two familiar faces and he felt his own light up in response. Lily with her bright red hair was jumping up and down to catch his attention, waving madly. Beside her, Severus was much more subdued, his head down and shoulders hunched.

"Your friends I take it?" his mother asked, favoring them with a piercing stare. Before he would reply, her eyes narrowed. "The boy doesn't look well."

Frank blinked, looking back as his friends approached. Now they were closer, he could see Severus' red eyes and streaming nose. He winced in sympathy as the Slytherin let out a trumpeting sneeze, disappearing momentarily behind a fistful of tissues.

"Frank!" Lily flung herself at him, hugging him tightly. "I missed you! Did you have a good summer?"

He was able to wheeze out an affirmative but couldn't actually manage anything else. His ribs were starting to creak and he had to swallow an unmanly squeak.

"I think he needs to breathe Lily," Severus croaked, sliding him an amused look.

"Sorry Frank," Lily murmured sheepishly as she pulled back. "It's just we haven't seen you in _months _and—"

A discreet throat-clearing had him belatedly remembering his manners.

"Oh yes!" he interrupted, only a tad breathlessly, "Lily, Sev—this is my mother. Mother, may I present Lily Evans and Severus Snape."

"Charmed," his mother replied, running a gimlet eye over the pair of them. Seeing his friends exchange wary glances and polite hellos made Frank smile. He knew most people thought his mother was intimidating even when she _wasn't_ trying. It was probably an Auror thing.

"It's good to finally meet the people I've been hearing so much about," she said, granting them a rare smile. Frank frowned slightly as both Sev and Lily seemed more nervous now than they'd been before. Shrugging it off, he looked around curiously.

"Where's Tuney?" he asked.

"Oh, she said she'd meet us on the train," Lily said, latching on to the distraction.

"She's planning something and trying to be sneaky about it," Severus clarified.

"_Petunia?_" Frank asked incredulously.

"Ignore this grump," Lily said poking Severus playfully in the side. "He just hates being sick."

"Who _likes_ it?" Severus muttered irritably before raising his gaze to the scrap of wet fur draped over Frank's shoulders. "I think Archimedes looks how I feel."

Frank grinned as Lily did a double-take and reached up to stroke his pet's bedraggled fur. He dodged the resulting half-hearted swipe with the ease of long practice and chuckled as Archimedes let out a miserable hiss, burying more deeply into the collar of his cloak.

"He'll be happier when we get on the train and he can dry out."

"I second that," Severus declared, sniffling glumly into his tissue.

"Well it's your own fault," a new voice declared snippily, causing Frank and Lily to nearly leap out of their skins. His mother and Sev merely turned to Petunia who was clutching a bulging bag and looking reprovingly at the slightly shivering Severus. "If you'd just taken Mum up on her offer of lifts instead of tramping around in the rain all summer—"

"And this is 'Tuney' I take it?" his mother asked drily, startling Petunia and making her blush a splotchy tomato red.

"That's right!" Frank affirmed cheerfully. "Lily's sister."

"I remember."

Petunia cleared her throat awkwardly, shifting the bag in her arms. "Forgive me, Mrs. Longbottom," she said a trifle stiffly, "I'm afraid I didn't see you there."

"Clearly," she agreed. "However you should be more observant, young lady. One never knows what might be lurking in the shadows."

Petunia paled dramatically and nodded. Normally Frank would have rolled his eyes at that pronouncement, but considering what he'd learned yesterday he just couldn't summon the urge.

"Well then," his mother said briskly, straightening her prized vulture, "it's time to be off before the Express leaves without you!" She strode towards the engine, leaving Frank to follow or forgo the umbrella. Considering he had two very sharp sets of claws in the vicinity of his neck, he trotted after her. A quick look over his shoulder assured him that his friends were following, Lily quietly comforting Petunia over her social faux pas.

"Have a good time at Hogwarts," his mother said, peering down at him. "I'm expecting to hear good reports."

"Yes mother," he replied as they reached the train. The others scrambled on but he hesitated. Before he could talk himself out of it; Frank threw his pride aside, whirled around and hugged his mother hard.

Immediately he felt her strong arms engulf him. "You'll be careful?" he asked, knowing the futility of the question but unable to resist asking.

"Of course," she assured him, pulling back so she could see his face. "Between Alastor and I, we'll soon root out the rotter."

Frank nodded, his confidence returning and his mother smiled again, reaching out to smooth his rumpled sandy hair. "You are so much like you're father," she remarked fondly and Frank felt himself glow with pride.

"I'll see you at Christmas," she informed him, "and I expect lots of letters."

"Of course!" he grinned and jumped onto the train as the whistle sounded. With a final wave he ventured off to find his friends as the train slowly began to pull out of the station.

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><p>They split up to search but it was almost impossible to find an empty compartment this late. In the end, Severus surveyed his options and then ducked into the most likely one with an almost imperceptible swish of his wand. The three third years already situated were startled and then obviously uncomfortable as he coughed harshly, sagging slightly against the doorframe as his wand twitched again.<p>

"Are—are you alright?" a boy with glasses asked nervously, casting a jaundiced eye over the greenish tinge that now covered the younger boy's skin.

"Don't worry," Severus rasped, staggering to the closest empty seat and dropping into it, "It's not actually contagious…not yet at any rate." The blond boy he slumped next to leaned away as Severus flashed what he knew was a ghoulish smile. He always looked a wreck when he got sick but with his first spell twining sinuously around the enclosed space; it was magnified by a hundred.

"As long as I get to Madam Pomfrey before I start hacking blood, I'm fairly sure I won't _actually_ die no matter what Ralf said. I don't care if his father _is_ a Medi-wizard!" He rolled his eyes theatrically. "Honestly, my so-called best friend is such a wimp. Imagine actually trying to push me off the train!"

This didn't exactly put his companions at ease and they exchanged wary glances. "But you're sure we can't catch it?" the boy beside him asked uneasily.

"Of course!" Severus replied scornfully, stifling a sneeze. "It only becomes contagious when the stomach starts to liquefy and I'll be at Hogwarts long before _that!_"

The older boys blanched as he began to cough into his fist, scrambling to their feet as blood suddenly started spraying dramatically between his clenched fingers with every bone-shaking bark. Severus pulled back gasping for air as he slowly straightened his fingers, regarding the blood dripping from them with a kind of horrified awe.

"Oh," he said blankly feeling a rivulet of blood and spit trickle down his chin. "Oh…crap." He glanced up at the huddle of shell-shocked boys and lurched to his feet, swaying alarmingly. His fingers left a smeared bloody handprint on the seat as he pushed himself up. He coughed again, doubling over as a spray of gory phlegm splattered the wall beside the redhead.

As one their nerve broke and they stampeded for the door, nearly trampling Severus in their need to escape. Cocking his head to one side, he listened carefully for a few moments to be sure they gone before quickly banishing the paranoia spell that had been wrapping itself ever tighter around the compartment.

Catching sight of his gruesome appearance in the glass part of the door, Severus couldn't suppress the evil grin that crossed his face as he cleaned up the mess. There was a _slight_ chance he may have gone a little over the top, but it had worked and the moment that was all he cared about.

Feeling a lot more cheerful, Severus wandered out to tell his friends he'd found a miraculously empty compartment.

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><p>Lily hadn't had much success on her quest. Everywhere she checked was too full to squeeze four more people in. It seemed like they'd have to make the trip alone or maybe in pairs if they were lucky. It didn't help that right on the heels of this revelation she was almost knocked over by three older students rushing down the corridor. They were gone too quickly for her to protest so she slowly made her way back to meet the others, hoping that Tuney, Frank or Sev had better news.<p>

Suddenly Sev's dark head caught her attention as he waved her over. She followed him to an empty compartment, picking up Frank and Tuney on the way. Petunia blew out a relieved breath as she sat down, dumping her mysterious bag beside her.

"What's in there?" Severus asked curiously but Tuney simply pulled the bag closer and smiled secretively.

"You'll just have to wait and see," she said smugly, pulling something out of her pocket. "Frank…"

Seeing the hesitant expression on her sister's face, Lily sat beside her, leaving Frank and Sev to take the seat opposite. Severus, catching wind of what was happening, settled back into the chair with a sigh, blowing his nose as quietly as possible.

"Tuney?" Frank prompted when it became apparent that no more was forthcoming, "what—"

"Here!" she snapped, pushing her masterpiece into his unresisting hands and watching as he held it up in bemusement.

"You're giving me…jewelry?" he asked sounding genuinely baffled.

"It's a friendship bracelet," Petunia said waspishly and Lily winced at the hurt she heard under the snappish tone. "I made it myself."

Frank touched the letters carefully and smiled at her. "Thank you Tuney, it's just that…well," he looked slightly embarrassed, "what _is_ a friendship bracelet?"

Finally the light dawned and Lily grabbed Tuney's hand, squeezing tightly. "Oh of course, it's a muggle thing!" she exclaimed. "Sorry Frank, we should have realized that you wouldn't have heard of it before."

Beside her, she felt Tuney relax. "Who doesn't know what friendship bracelets are?" she scoffed derisively but quickly launched into an explanation before Frank had time to feel bad. "Friendship bracelets are supposed to be hand-made as a symbol of friendship," she said, pulling back her sleeve to reveal her own. Lily did the same and nudged Severus with her foot until he displayed his as well.

"You wear one too?" Frank asked Sev in amazement and Lily bristled at the question.

"Of course he does—why wouldn't he?" she demanded harshly. "He's one of us!"

Severus glanced at her with some indefinable emotion in his dark eyes but Frank was holding up his hands in surrender, the bracelet swinging wildly in his grasp as he attempted to explain.

"No, no," he hurried, looking at Severus with a distraught expression, "I didn't mean it like that!"

"My mother is a Witch," Severus reminded him patiently and Frank blew out a breath of relief. Lily and Petunia just looked at them both in bewilderment.

"It's just Wizards don't tend to wear much jewelry, that's all," Frank said soothingly. "I figured it was the same for muggles." His hands were still in the air. Lily looked to Sev who was watching her with an odd expression. He nodded in verification and Lily felt herself deflate.

"Well, that's all right then," she said grudgingly, trying very hard not to get embarrassed. It wasn't working very well. She felt like an idiot.

"I suppose." Tuney agreed, looking impatient. "Muggle boys don't wear bracelets much either as a rule but friendship bracelets aren't the same as _jewelry_." The last word practically dripped with condescension. "Although you don't have to wear it if you don't want to," she tacked on ungraciously.

"No, I'd be honoured," Frank assured her solemnly and proceeded to slip it over his wrist.

Tuney beamed and everyone relaxed. Mostly. But a strange kind of undercurrent lingered. Feeling a desperate need to completely change the subject, Lily turned to her sister and tackled her to grab the bag on her other side, leading to high pitched shrieks and the perfect distraction. Out of the corner of her eye, Lily saw Frank saying something earnestly to Severus who seemed to unwind enough to offer a small smile in return.

That was all she managed to see before she had to jerk backwards to avoid an elbow to the face. By the time things calmed down, Petunia was as far away from Lily as she could get, clutching the bag to her chest. Lily, slumped at the other end of the seat, wearily blew some tangled hair out of her eyes and sighed. No-one could pull hair like Tuney. She winced as she gingerly probed her scalp.

"If you're both quite finished," Severus drawled sounding entirely unimpressed. Lily felt herself flush. Beside him, Frank was staring with eyes so wide they seemed to be in danger of popping out of his head. Lily chanced a look at Petunia who glared back mulishly. The stand-off showed no sign of ending until Severus sneezed so hard that Frank had to grab him to stop him falling off the chair.

Letting out a miserable moan, he glared at both of them before summoning another tissue. "I can't wait until I can get to the Infirmary," he muttered.

"Madam Pomfrey will cure you in less than a minute, Sev, don't worry," Lily said comfortingly as the tension slowly began to dissipate.

"What _is_ in the bag anyway?" Frank asked curiously and Petunia let out a long suffering sigh before dumping it upside down on the table before them. A stream of familiar brightly coloured wrappers emerged and Lily glanced at Tuney in surprise.

"Muggle sweets?" she asked perplexedly.

Tuney huffed indignantly. "Well Frank probably hasn't had them before so I thought he might like to try some." She gave Lily a dark look that had her shrinking back into the seat. "It was _supposed_ to be a surprise when the trolley came around."

"Sorry Tuney," Lily said meekly but Frank's enthusiasm quickly washed away Petunia's resentment. Soon there was only laughter and explaining that Mars bars had nothing to do with the planet and that humbugs really weren't anything like cockroach cluster.

Once when Lily looked up, there was a blond boy with a Gryffindor crest on his robes hovering outside the door. She smiled at her Housemate but before she could ask if he wanted anything, he'd scampered off like he'd seen the Bloody Baron on a bad day. Figuring he was just shy, she quickly forgot about it as an argument sprang up over which was better, Liquorice Allsorts or Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. The pro Beans side extolled the variety. The counter-argument (mostly Petunia) also had a lot to say about the _variety_. Outside their window, the skies darkened as the countryside flew by, taking them ever closer to Hogwarts.

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><p><strong>AN: Please tell me what you think! It was never actually the plan for Sev to go off and terrorize some third years but when they couldn't find seats…guess he took initiative! :P **

**Anyway, please review!**


	19. Back to Hogwarts

**Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine and the beginning of Dumbledore's welcome speech was taken from the second book.**

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed/fav'ed/alerted. You guys are the best and make me struggle harder to escape the mire of assignments I've fallen into! :P**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>The rain had eased to a miserable drizzle as they stepped off the train. Petunia pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders to ward off the chill and craned her neck until she spotted the dim glow of a lamp swinging far above the reach of any average man.<p>

"Look," she said gesturing towards the light, "Hagrid's over there! Come on, the sooner we're out of this rain the better!"

The light bobbed tauntingly over the mass of students milling around the station and Petunia squinted as she tried to figure out the path that would result in the least bruises. A touch at her elbow distracted her and she turned in annoyance. This clinging mist was doing nothing for her temper.

"What?" she demanded waspishly.

Severus stared back at her from behind his tissue. She couldn't be sure, since half his face was covered, but she thought she detected a hint of amusement in his dark eyes.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked placidly.

"_Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"_

"Like what?" she responded warily, shooting a questioning look at Frank and Lily. The fact that they were both grinning didn't bode well. Severus just tilted his head as the voice rang out again.

"_Firs' years, follow me! Any more firs' years?"_

"Oh." Petunia deflated slightly and looked at the others uncertainly. "Well where are _we_ supposed to go then?"

Frank glanced around the dark platform, pointing to the steady stream of students heading away. "I guess we just follow them," he shrugged, starting forward.

"Baa," Severus muttered darkly and received a poke in the side from Lily.

"Come on," she said brightly, "it can't be worse than crossing the lake in the rain."

Petunia cheered up considerably at the thought. "And we won't have to worry about being eaten by the giant squid," she agreed hurrying to catch up to Frank, leaving Lily to cajole Severus. As impossible as he was normally, when he was sick he was ten times worse! But Petunia figured Lily could handle it—she could usually wrangle whatever she wanted out of him.

She was so caught up in making her escape that she failed to see Frank stop dead in front of her. They went down in a tangle of arms and legs, landing in an undignified heap on the wet ground. Petunia lay shocked for a moment until the laughter of the students detouring around them slowly trickled into her ears. Her face burning, she started struggling to untangle herself from Frank, ignoring his apologies. Unfortunately, her growing desperation and Frank's awkward attempts to help only led to them slipping again on the slick tarmac.

Petunia wished she could disappear, especially as she heard familiar unwelcome laughter drift closer.

"You all right there Longbottom?"

Petunia didn't even look up.

"Are you going to stand around like a couple of hyenas, Potter or actually help?" Frank demanded curtly.

A new voice cut in. "Oh…yes, of course…let me—"

Petunia flinched as gentle hands slipped around her waist and she looked up into concerned amber eyes. She blinked as she was set on her feet with relative ease, staring at the slim boy in front of her. Remus Lupin certainly didn't look capable of picking someone up without even a grunt of effort.

She glanced over to see Sirius Black pulling Frank to his feet with a roguish grin while Potter and Pettigrew snickered off to the side.

"Are you all right?" The softly voiced question brought her attention back to her rescuer and she blushed as she realized his hands were still on her waist. He noticed at the same time and snatched his hands back as though they'd been burnt. He cleared his throat, stepping back sharply.

"Tuney! Frank!"

Lily arrived on the scene out of breath and dragging a reluctant Severus. Only those who knew him well would notice the flash of anxiety as he looked them both over.

Lily ran over to her. "Tuney, are you all right?"

It was only at then that Petunia began to feel the throbbing ache in her palms and the stickiness on her knees.

A loud bark of laughter interrupted them before she had a chance to reply and she looked up to see Sirius slapping a highly uncomfortable Frank Longbottom heartily on the back. A few seconds listening to their conversation made Petunia wish she was a million miles away—or that Black was.

"Didn't think you were one for public displays of affection Longbottom," he joked giving him a wink. "If you want some tips on how to get a girl's attention—"

"Don't ask that disaster," Severus cut in caustically. "The only thing he could advise on is how to pull their hair and run away."

Lily sucked in a breath and choked trying not to laugh while Remus snorted, turning away slightly to hide his face. Even Potter bit his lip to hide a grin.

Sirius bristled angrily, stomping over to Severus. "And what would you know about it, Snape?" he jeered. He ran a contemptuous look over him, pausing at the tissue and the dripping nose. "You're just a slimy, sniveling Slytherin—Snivellous Snape!"

"Good one Sirius!" Potter called approvingly.

"Oh yes, so witty!" Lily snapped back scathingly.

"Hey come on Evans, it suits him!" Black retorted smugly.

Severus glared, opening his mouth to deliver what was Petunia was sure would be a blistering response—and sneezed.

Explosively.

All over Sirius Black.

There was a moment of frozen, horrified silence before Black reared back with a yelp of disgust. Everyone just stared, Lily's hands were clamped over her mouth and Petunia was sure her own eyes were like saucers. Severus looked torn between laughter and absolute mortification.

"Ugh…ugh…ugh….Snape boogers!" Sirius wailed, frantically wiping his face on his sleeve.

That was too much for Petunia. She was certain she'd never laughed so hard in her life. She could barely stand, clutching at Lily as tears streamed down her face and she tried desperately to remember how her lungs worked. Apparently there was still justice in the world.

She caught a glimpse of Frank dragging a shell-shocked Severus out of the line of fire over to where Lily was waiting. The two of them were grinning like fools and as Petunia began to calm into exhausted hiccups she noted hazily that there was something wrong with that picture.

Lily waved her over, her eyes sliding to where a hysterical Sirius was being chased around by Potter and Pettigrew, both brandishing handkerchiefs and trying futilely to calm him down.

That's when Petunia realized that she was still grasping someone's arm. But if Lily was over there… She jerked away from Remus who was watching his friends' antics with a merry grin.

"At least it's never boring," he told her cheerfully. "I'd better go help. See you in class!"

With that he jogged over to the other Marauders, patiently waiting until Sirius ran past and snagging him with ease. Petunia jumped as Lily materialized beside her.

"Come _on_, Tuney—we have to get out of here!" she impatiently, grabbing her by the arm.

They reached the others in time to hear Frank reassuring Severus that he'd nothing to be embarrassed about.

"It was brilliant," he chuckled, eyes misting over, "I'll always treasure the memory of Sirius Black screaming like a little girl." He snapped back to reality somewhat at Severus' snort of reluctant laughter. "Anyway, I'm sure it'll make him think twice about picking on sick people, that's for sure!"

"Hopefully it'll make him think twice about picking on people, full stop!" Lily retorted.

"Let's not waste time wishing for miracles, Lily," Severus replied smirking.

"Speaking of miracles," Frank jumped in, "wait until you see this!"

Curious they followed him and Lily gasped as a black stagecoach clattered past, its traces empty.

"Amazing!" she whispered reverently. Beside her, Severus was equally enthralled.

Petunia ran a jaundiced eye over the hundreds of waiting coaches, considerably less impressed. "If they're not going to bother with horses, why can't they just use cars instead of this over-dramatic spectacle?" she asked grumpily.

"What are you on about?" Severus demanded staring as if she'd suddenly grown two heads.

"Seriously Tuney, you have no sense of romance," Lily laughed. "Muggle technology doesn't work around Hogwarts remember?"

"I wonder what spell they use to pull the carriages," Frank mused. "Sev, what do you think?"

Severus, who'd looked increasingly bewildered at the conversation, glanced back as another one clattered by. "You mean what spell they use…" he paused, staring as it disappeared around the bend, "to pull the carriages…because they _don't_ use any horses?" he finished, sounding uncharacteristically hesitant.

Frank grinned. "Well if you don't know, just say so! C'mon, let's grab one before we miss the feast!"

They headed towards the nearest carriage, Petunia leading the way, desperate to get to nice _dry_ castle and eat something. Those sweets on the train seemed ages ago now. Severus was the last to get in; she looked out the window to him running a hand above the empty traces and sighed impatiently.

"Hurry up Sev," Lily called, "Experiment later, food now!"

Severus finally jumped in pulling the door shut behind him and they jolted into motion.

"This is so strange," Lily said examining the plush seats.

"Oh come on Lily," Petunia said in exasperation, "Dad's got a car at home, it's not that different!"

Lily looked ready to argue but Frank interjected. "What's a car?"

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><p>The Welcoming Feast had an air of tension about it—even after the Sorting was over. Frank hunched his shoulders and eyed the empty golden platters laid out along the Gryffindor table, determined not to think about it. His stomach rumbled and he sighed impatiently as the Headmaster stood.<p>

"To our newcomers," he _said_ in a ringing voice, stretching his hands wide with a beaming smile, "_welcome_! To our old hands—_welcome_ back! I know you must be longing to sink your teeth into the magnificent feast that's been prepared for you but before that…"

The sudden pause made even the most disinterested students glance up and once they did it was impossible to look away. Frank was transfixed by the change in their eccentric headmaster. Gone was the kindly old man and in his place stood the Wizard who'd defeated Grindlewald. Seeing he had the Hall's attention, Dumbledore looked down at the four Houses and Frank felt the hairs on his arms stand on end as that electric blue gaze swept over him.

"I know you've all heard about this new threat," he said solemnly, "this fanatic that stalks the shadows, but I am telling each and every one of you; You. Are. Safe. Here." Unbidden, Frank felt his muscles relaxing as the Headmaster's voice thundered through the Hall. He glanced at Lily, to find her as enthralled as the rest. Dumbledore spoke again, his eyes flashing. "In the centuries since it was founded, Hogwarts has never been breached—and I will not have that record broken on my watch. Rest assured that Voldemort will not set foot inside these grounds."

A few people flinched at the name but the breathless silence continued until Dumbledore smiled broadly. "Now enough of such unpleasant topics, dinner awaits! Tuck in!" Immediately food appeared from nowhere and tables groaned under the sudden weight as the clatter of utensils and the buzz of excited conversation filled the Hall. The atmosphere was completely different; lighter and more carefree. Lily smiled over at him and grabbed a few slices of chicken before Sirius Black and James Potter upended a bowl of soup over an unfortunate first year. Across the aisle, he could see Tuney engaged in a fierce debate, gesturing emphatically with her fork and apparently trying to dissuade Lovegood from 'helping' her make her point.

At the Slytherin table, Severus caught his eye and lifted his goblet in a subtle salute before returning his attention to his plate and the conversations around him. Frank had a moment of worry for his mother before Archimedes distracted him by launching from his neck to attack a platter of salmon. Ignoring the havoc his pet was causing, Frank looked at his empty plate and thought his cat had the right idea. He examined the selection around him, a grin blossoming on his face.

Decisions, decisions.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked it! As always, hit the review button—please let me know what you think! :)<strong>


	20. Quidditch Tryouts

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. *sighs* Or any of these places. *grumbles***

**A/N: Hey! Sorry for such a long time between updates but college was finishing and then I had the worst writer's block about this chapter! It was **_**awful! **_**:(**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy. ^_^**

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><p>"So…are you nervous?"<p>

Lily opened one eye to glare at Severus who gazed innocently back. The four of them were huddled on the side of the Quidditch pitch waiting along with what seemed to Lily to be half of Gryffindor House.

"Just because you didn't tell us when the Slytherin tryouts were…"

Severus' expression became suspiciously smug and she growled in frustration. He'd just turned up to class yesterday and announced he hadn't made the team due to insufficient experience. He hadn't exactly seemed broken up about it either.

"It might have been a good idea not to advertise it;" Frank interjected mildly, "Sirius has apparently sworn revenge for the booger incident."

Petunia wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Can we please not call it that?"

Lily just rolled her eyes and clutched her school broom tighter; trying not to be too obvious about the envious looks she was sending at Frank's gleaming Sliver Arrow.

"Looks like they're ready," Frank announced eagerly as the Gryffindor Captain strode towards the centre of the pitch. Lily swallowed hard and focused on not throwing up.

"We'll be in the stands," Petunia assured them, already inching away. "Good luck!" she called, grabbing Severus' arm.

As their friends disappeared, Frank turned and gave her a blinding smile. "Here we go!" he said and for the first time, Lily noticed that his eyes were a little too wide, his smile wavering slightly around the edges.

It was actually reassuring to realize that even Frank, Quidditch fanatic and Hooch's pet, could suffer from the same nerves that were crippling her. Shifting her broom to one hand, she reached out and grabbed his, squeezing tightly.

"It'll be fine," she said determinedly. "We'll knock their socks off!"

Frank blinked once and nodded, squaring his shoulders. "Right," he acknowledged, taking a deep breath. "Ready?"

"Not really," she muttered, making a face, "but when has that stopped me?" 

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><p>Severus didn't feel the least bit guilty about lying to his friends. The truth was he hadn't even attempted to try out for the Slytherin team and despite the deception; he couldn't bring himself to regret it. He may like playing Quidditch <em>with<em> Lily and Frank but he certainly didn't want to play _against_ them, not in the ways his Housemates would insist on. And there was also the not-so-insignificant fact that being on the House team would attract attention. His parental cover story was too thin to stand up to much—or any—scrutiny.

Shaking himself from his unpleasant thoughts he snuck a quick look at Petunia. She was huddled beside him, knees drawn up and eyes tightly closed. They were in the middle of the stands and Severus was trying very hard to ignore the hoards of Gryffindor spectators screaming encouragement at whoever they were here to support.

"Are you all right?" he asked cautiously, leaning in slightly to be heard above the din around them.

She gave a jerky nod and twisted her fingers together, practically wringing her hands. "Tell me when they get in the air," she gritted out.

The noise suddenly intensified and Severus looked up to see brooms rising gracefully. "They're up," he murmured, distracted by a flash of red among the hopefuls.

"Good," she replied and he felt her suddenly relax beside him. It was so unexpected that he snapped his head around fast enough to get whiplash, half-expecting to see her passed out. Instead she was sitting bolt upright, watching the players with the intensity of a hawk.

"Tuney?" he queried softly.

"I'm fine, Severus," she said with a slight bite of impatience. "If I have something to focus on, I can forget that I'm…" She turned slightly green for a moment before blinking hard and staring at the spectacle before them with renewed concentration.

Severus couldn't suppress the grin that pulled at his lips. She wasn't cured, not by a long-shot, but she wasn't about to let that stop her. It was times like this that reminded him Petunia Evans was as much a force to be reckoned with as Lily was.

"You can wipe that grin off your face right now, Severus Snape," she said primly, without even taking her eyes off the game.

Severus' smile widened for a second, before he banished it. "Yes, Tuney," he replied dutifully, relishing her twitch of annoyance.

They watched Lily swooping after the quaffle while Frank went head-to-head with a bludger. Black brandished his own bat and flew over to help him while Potter stole the quaffle from Lily, cheekily blowing her a kiss and getting nailed by a stray bludger as a result.

"This is a lot more exciting than our games," Petunia said suddenly and Severus noted that her fixed intensity had faded into a more natural curiosity.

"Well, there's only so much you can do with three players," he explained, watching Potter being carted off the pitch.

"I suppose," she replied. "Looks like Potter won't be getting a place anyway."

He snorted. "Please," he said disgustedly, "everyone knows that idiot has delusions of being Seeker. He was only trying out for Chaser because Thompson won't be gone until next year."

"So you think he'll try again next year?"

"Unfortunately," Severus muttered. "If there's any justice in the world he won't get it or he'll be insufferable."

Petunia risked a quick glance at him. "I thought he was an 'insufferable dunderhead' anyway," she prodded and he raised an eyebrow.

"Do you disagree?"

She gave an extremely unladylike snort and turned back in time to see Lily score a point while Frank and Black tag-teamed the bludgers. 

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><p>It was easier than she'd expected to forget that she was considerably too far from the ground for comfort. Quidditch was turning out to be a lot more interesting than she'd given it credit for. As the try-outs wound down she saw Potter had joined Remus and Pettigrew in the stands. He didn't seem too upset that he'd been knocked out of the running as he cheered himself hoarse for his friend.<p>

Petunia supposed that Severus had been right and his heart hadn't really been in it. Speaking of the Slytherin, he had also noticed Potter's return and was regarding him with a disturbingly shark-like smile. She had a feeling that if he came within ten feet of them, Severus would take great pleasure in reminiscing about his ignominious swoon. The fact that it came from a bludger to the back of the head would be irrelevant or maybe, considering Severus, a bonus.

Play soon ended and with a shivery sensation, Petunia realized that she was now looking at the very small figures on the ground…very small because she was so high up. Her knees buckled and it was a good thing she was sitting down or else—

"_Tuney!_"

She sucked in a shaky breath and focused on Severus who was suddenly crouched in front of her. _When did that happen? _"You need to let go of the bench," he said quietly.

She stared at him blankly for a moment before looking down at her white-knuckled hands clenching the wooden bench. Now she'd noticed, she could feel how cramped and cold her fingers had gotten. Slowly, one agonizing finger at a time, she released her grip and felt more than heard Severus' sigh of relief.

He pulled her up from her seat and she noticed that the stands were nearly empty save for a few gawkers. Immediately she straightened up and gave them her most haughty glare before allowing Severus to lead her to the stairs. 

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><p>Lily was so jittery she literally couldn't keep still. "Where are they?" she moaned, scanning the dispersing crowd for the one hundredth time.<p>

"There!" Frank shouted sounding so relieved that Lily wondered if she should take offense. She hadn't been that bad. She was just…excited.

"Sev! Tuney!"

She saw the pair stop and look around until they saw her jumping around and waving her arms beside a longsuffering Frank.

"We got in!" she shrieked, bounding over when they were too slow, and flinging her arms around Severus. He stiffened for a moment but gamely hugged her back, relaxing slightly as she babbled about near-misses with bludgers and 'that awful Potter.'

She felt slightly calmer when she released him, and quickly attacked Tuney, leaving Sev and Frank to exchange more manly congratulations.

"So, I take you were both successful?" Severus asked drily and Frank grinned.

"You bet we were!" he crowed delightedly. "You're looking at the new Gryffindor Beater," he bowed, "and the stunning new Gryffindor Chaser!"

Lily's cheeks hurt from smiling so hard and she dropped an awkward curtsey. "Isn't it great?" she demanded, feeling the joy bubble up inside her. She grabbed her sister's hands and proceeded to dance and twirl them about the pitch, too happy to contain herself.

Tuney let out a few squawks about dignity but allowed herself to unbend slightly and get caught up in the feeling. Lily half-suspected that Tuney only protested out of form and just needed an excuse to take part. With a whoop Frank joined in, grabbing both of them by the waist and pulling them through a very mangled jig.

Severus stayed well out of reach but seemed altogether too amused at their expense which led Lily to believe that they probably looked quite ridiculous cavorting about but right then, she was far too happy to care. And much to dizzy to do anything about it even if she did. 

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><p><strong>AN: Considering how much trouble it gave me, it's kinda short—but I really hope you'll let me know how I'm doing. **

**Please review!**


	21. Omens

**Disclaimer: I. DO. NOT. OWN. THIS! Thank you.**

**A/N: I would like to thank everyone who took the time to review **_**so**_** much! I really appreciate hearing your opinions! :)**

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><p>Life continued apace in Hogwarts. Frank and Lily disappeared three times a week for Quidditch practice, leaving Severus and Petunia to their own devices. They usually ended up in the library doing homework—not that Severus minded since it was a golden opportunity to annoy the answers of his Herbology assignments out of Petunia, simply by doing it horribly wrong where she could see. It offended her inner-Ravenclaw too much for her to keep quiet and neither Frank nor Lily was present to call him on it.<p>

But it seemed that he was on his own today. The others were at their evening practice but instead of getting her own books, Petunia vanished as soon as they entered the library. Severus headed for their usual table and was about to start his Potions assignment when she appeared from the stacks carrying a huge leather-bound tome. The inkwells rattled when she dropped it on the table and a huge amount of dust seeped from between the pages. Severus was intrigued. Shoving his own books out of the way, he leaned over to read the peeling gold leaf on the cover.

_Magickal Beastes And Where To Find Them_

_1st Edition_

Quite honestly, he couldn't think of anything Tuney would be _less_ interested in. She certainly made no secret of her dislike of 'dirty, smelly creatures.' Archimedes was only tolerated because Frank braved his claws once a month to give him a bath and even then, not sharing a common room meant she didn't have to see him often. Petunia caught his bewildered look and sniffed disdainfully.

"I know!" she said snippily. "Just consider it self-defense."

"Against _what?_" he demanded, thoroughly bemused now.

"Xenophilius Lovegood," she sighed.

Severus quickly turned his laugh into a cough and attempted to look appropriately sympathetic.

"He got you again?"

"Well how am I to know what's real in a world where unicorns and dragons are perfectly plausible?" she huffed. "What bothers me the most is that I fall for it every time! I thought I was a better judge of character than that. It's just that he always seems so sincere!" She slumped back into her chair, looking put out and disillusioned.

Seeing that she was actually upset, Severus offered her a tentative pat on the arm and looked desperately around, wishing for Frank or Lily to spring out of the woodwork—hell, he'd even take _Remus_ at this point. However their nook remained stubbornly empty and Severus took a deep breath, trying not to panic. He didn't do the touchy-feely things; he normally left that to Lily. Unfortunately there was nothing for it.

"Well," he started awkwardly, "it's hard to catch people in a lie if they really _are_ sincere."

Petunia shot him a freezing look and he felt his spine stiffen in response. "Look Tuney," he said pragmatically, "Everyone knows that Lovegood is a bit…different."

"_Odd_ is that word most people used when talking to me," Petunia interrupted petulantly but she seemed to be listening so Severus plowed on.

"Whatever you what to call it," he said dismissively. "Anyway the point is that he really does believe in all those weird things he goes on about. So he's not actually lying to you." He made a face. "Not on purpose, anyway."

Petunia stared at him. "But he can't seriously…" At Severus' raised eyebrow, she spluttered; "But he's in Ravenclaw! The House of cold, hard facts! Not to mention that he's Wizard-born. He should know by now what exists and what doesn't. He doesn't even have the muggle-born excuse!"

Severus just shrugged, grabbing his Potions book.

Petunia spent the next few minutes in a state of shock at the lack of logic that was her Housemate. Severus thought she might have actually preferred if he just had a malicious sense of humor. After a few more minutes of horrified contemplation, she shook herself and carefully opened the book's heavy leather cover.

"Well it's good to know that he isn't being a pain on purpose," she muttered, stifling a sneeze at the plume of dust that rose when she turned a page. "But he's still making me look ridiculous; I was banging my shoes together over my pillows last night to scare off Danglesnors!"

Severus almost swallowed his tongue trying not to laugh. "Hmm," he managed and hid his face behind his textbook. Thankfully, Tuney was too busy poring over her book to notice his shaking shoulders. He finished off his Potions essay relatively quickly—and only three inches over the required amount!—before leaning back in his chair to stretch. Idly, he glanced at where Petunia was buried in her dusty tome, even having gone so far as to scratch out some hasty notes which littered her side of the table.

As he watched lazily, she turned a page and he froze, snapping upright.

"Wait!" he barked, startling Petunia so badly that she nearly fell out of her chair. "What's that?"

"What?" she asked peevishly, as he pointed. "That? Looks like an anorexic horse…with wings."

Severus squeezed his eyes shut. He'd buried the memory, dismissing it as some sort of bizarre hallucination—he'd been sick after all and no-one else had seen them.

"What does it say?" he whispered, opening his eyes to find Petunia staring at him in concern.

"What, the horse-things? Sev, are you—"

"_Yes_, the horse-things," he hissed, fighting to keep his temper. "What does it say?"

"Uh, they're called Thestrals," she said, scanning the page. "Um…usually associated with death and bad luck."

He shouldn't be surprised. He wasn't really. "Anything else?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Not much," she informed him, "just that they're carnivorous and are invisible to those who haven't seen death."

He had to work hard not to flinch but at least he knew he wasn't crazy. Which was the worry that had been simmering behind his vehement 'just a hallucination' theory. Truthfully he was torn between relief and apprehension. It just figured he'd be the one to see symbols of death and misfortune.

"Severus?"

He glanced up at the steely tone to find Petunia looking at him expectantly.

"Sorry," he replied glibly, "I just saw picture of one somewhere in the castle. I didn't think they were real." Severus had discovered long ago that lies always went down better with a grain of truth.

"Yes, I can see how it might be upsetting," she agreed. "They really are ugly brutes aren't they? Why are things like this real when snicklepuffs aren't? I can almost see Xenophilius' point."

Severus smirked at her and dodged as she threw a piece of crumpled paper at his head. "Oh shut up Snape," she snapped, glowering. "I said _almost!_"

Petunia resumed flicking through the book but Severus couldn't settle. Instead he wished her goodnight and spent the time until curfew wandering around the castle, thinking about luck and whether it was possible to make your own.

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><p>Remus sighed as he zipped up his overnight bag. He should be used to it by now. He should have accepted it—he'd gone through the transformation hundreds of times. It wasn't anything new but he still felt his stomach curdle at the mere thought of the full moon. He sighed again, gazing around the empty dorm and trying to drum up some courage. He was a Gryffindor—if he <em>still<em> couldn't accept what was going to happen, he should at the very least be brave.

The door burst open and he jumped at the raucous sound of Sirius' laughter as James' voice rose. "And then _I_ said, not if those boils are going to be a permanent feature!" The pair of them collapsed on James' bed, howling with laughter and Remus felt his melancholy lift slightly. Behind them, Peter closed the door and bounced in, jumping on his own bed.

"Remus, where have you been?" James demanded, using Sirius as a prop to sit up. "You missed the best Quidditch practice!"

Remus bit his lip to hide a smile. "I thought you weren't on the team, James?" he asked mildly.

"Well I had to go to cheer Sirius on, didn't I?" he responded indignantly. "He's sending those bludgers flying around the pitch! Besides, it's good to see how things work for next year." That statement would have made more of an impact if his glasses hadn't been dangling from one ear.

"Absolutely mate," Sirius agreed, dislodging himself from James and sitting up properly. "Longbottom's a good flier but Merlin, the guy doesn't know how to have any fun! I needed all the encouragement I could get, James!"

"And me too," Peter piped up. "I was there too!"

"'Course you were, Pete," Sirius said with a charming grin. "Thanks."

As Peter blushed and stuttered with pleasure, Remus sighed. He'd hoped that practice would run longer so he could slip out without anyone noticing. He hated lying to his friends and knew damn well that he was terrible at it. It was only a matter of time before they noticed and got suspicious.

"Why are you hiding away up here anyway, Remus?" Sirius demanded.

"Oh well, there was this book I wanting to finish…" He trailed off, hoping his studious nature would save him from further questions.

Sirius snorted, bounding over to sling an arm over his shoulders. "Remy, Remy, Remy," he sighed, "seriously mate, you have _got_ to get out more."

James laughed, settling his glasses back on his nose. "Good luck there," he teased, "We all know that Remus prefers books to people!"

Remus threw a pillow at him and James clutched it to his chest for a moment before falling dramatically back on the bed in imaginary death throes.

Remus could actually felt the dread roiling in his stomach diminish as he laughed and sent up yet another fervent prayer of thanks for being lucky enough to find friends like these.

"Remus, is that a bag?" The innocent question turned his heart to ice and the fragile shield of laughter shattered as reality set in. "Are you going somewhere?" Peter asked again.

All eyes turned to the bag and then to him. Remus tried not to fidget too obviously.

"Yes, actually…" he began.

"Your Aunt again?" James asked sympathetically.

Remus looked down feeling like the worst friend in the world as he nodded. "I'm afraid I'm going to miss your Quidditch match tomorrow, Sirius."

"Hey man, don't worry about it." Sirius said, hugging him tighter around the shoulders before releasing him. "She always gets better after a few days right?"

Though his words were innocent enough, something in his tone made Remus look up in alarm—straight into curious grey eyes. With effort, he pulled his gaze away. "S-She's really v-very sick," he stammered, "and my mother says my being there helps her, so—"

"Well then that could be a good career move," James enthused, his hazel eyes gleaming. "Remus Lupin, Mediwizard—heals by breathing!"

Remus gave a wan smile. "Yeah," he said softly.

His bag suddenly appeared before him as Sirius held it out, looking contrite. "Hope she gets better soon," he said and Remus couldn't help but smile at the silent apology.

He really was a horrible person.

James gave him an encouraging slap on the back as he passed. "Tell your Aunt the Marauders are rooting for her!"

Remus flashed a brittle grin and waved before leaving quickly. He couldn't tell them. Lying might be difficult but he'd rather be horrible with friends than a monster all by himself.

* * *

><p>"Bye Remus!" Peter chirped as the door closed.<p>

Sirius looked at James and shook his head. "I hope he gets his Aunt's Mediwitch to take a look at him while he's there. He looks awful."

James shrugged, settling back on his bed and grabbing a half-eaten chocolate frog off his nightstand. "It's probably stress," he guessed, taking a bite. "It must be hard seeing a family member like that."

Sirius dropped onto his own bed and absently grabbed a Quidditch magazine. "Still, he should take better care of himself," he muttered.

It was typical Remus, to be so concerned about others that he forgot about himself. Well he, Sirius Orion Black would watch out for his friend no matter what. He'd just have to keep a closer eye on him when he got back. 

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think!<strong>


	22. Loyalties

**Disclaimer: They're **_**still**_** not mine! That fortune cookie lied! ;_;**

**A/N: Next chapter up! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

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><p>Rubeus Hagrid was in a good mood.<p>

He'd just returned from the forest after visiting Aragog, and his old friend was really warming up to the female Acromantula that Hagrid had wrangled from that bloke down the pub. Crowley hadn't wanted to cough up but Hagrid had won that round of pin the tail on the Manticore in front of God and half of Hogsmeade. The seedier half true, but that was almost better in the long run. Even the bloodiest games were scrupulously honest in the Hog's Head. The owner wouldn't tolerate anything less and swore he'd make the culprits clean the entrails up themselves. It was a threat no-one with sense took lightly.

Anyway, a supplier like Crowley couldn't go back on his word where his best customers would see. Hagrid had won the game and collected his prize the next week. A few scars were worth the look of shock and joy in Aragog's milky eyes. Hagrid grinned happily to himself. Aragog and his new young lady were getting along just swimmingly and seeing his friend spinning whimsical webs and dragging still-squealing gifts to Magog made Hagrid tear up just a little.

He shifted slightly on the bench and winced when the wood let out a tortured groan of protest. It was a pity that the Quidditch stands were so flimsy. Dumbledore had offered him a customized seat that would hold his weight over with the professors but Hagrid had politely declined. He'd feel a bit awkward and out of place over with all those qualified Witches and Wizards. Dumbledore was the exception of course, but Albus Dumbldore had broken the mold and as far as Hagrid was concerned there wasn't a finer man anywhere.

In any case, he preferred being with his old House, even if it was a little uncomfortable. And the young lions never seemed to mind his presence, always offering cheerful waves and shouting out greetings. It was Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw today and there was a lot of new blood in both teams. Hagrid was looking forward to it.

Dumbledore gave him a merry wave from the teachers' stand across the pitch and Hagrid beamed, returning the gesture with a subtle thumbs-up—almost knocking some students over in the process. He saw the Headmaster cover a smile as he turned to apologize profusely to the cubs beside him.

They were gracious enough and he was about to turn around before he noticed the House crests on their robes.

"Here, I think you lot might be a bit lost," he said kindly. "The Ravenclaw stands are across the pitch and the Slytherin—"

"We're fine," the boy cut in coldly, his dark eyes guarded. Hagrid was a little fascinated; he'd never seen that kind of pitch eye colour in a human before.

The skinny blond girl poked him in the side. "Don't be so rude, Severus," she admonished, ignoring his scowl, "it's perfectly understandable that Mr. Hagrid might be confused. Neither of us are Gryffindors after all!"

"It's a free country," the boy, Severus, snarled. "We can sit where we want."

"'Course you can," Hagrid reassured them hurriedly. "I jus' thought you might be a bit lost, that's all!"

"Well, we're not!" Severus snapped.

"_Severus!_" the girl shrieked as Hagrid recoiled. She turned to him, two spots of colour burning in her cheeks looking just as mortified as he felt. "I'm so sorry," she gushed. "My name's Petunia Evans, my sister Lily is in Gryffindor—she's a Chaser," Hagrid saw her puff up a little at that, "and our friend Frank is one of the Gryffindor Beaters." She offered a tremulous smile. "So…"

"So yeh came ter support 'em!" he finished with a huge grin. "That's great, that is. Yeh never see the Houses minglin' like they should."

Petunia's embarrassment began to recede a little and she nodded. "And you're Hagrid…the gamekeeper, right?"

"Oh right! Sorry 'bout that! Rubeus Hagrid at yer service," he said trying to copy McGonagall's regal nod but feeling like he looked more like a bobbing chicken, so he stopped. "Keeper o' Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

"Keys?" The Slytherin boy spoke up, looking speculative.

"And this," Petunia said in a reluctant tone, "is Severus Snape; our other—soon to be ex—friend, if he doesn't improve his manners."

Severus offered a curt nod at Hagrid's tentative smile.

"It's a bit odd to see a Slytherin hangin' out with the other Houses," he observed curiously, peering at them.

Severus immediately bristled like a feral cat and Hagrid felt understanding settle under his skin.

"Jus' they tend teh be a quiet bunch," he blurted quickly, trying to repair the damage and heavily editing the truth. "Prefer ter keep ter themselves an' all."

Severus gave him a piercing look before shrugging tightly. "Not all of them," he muttered defensively.

That was when the players began to file out onto the pitch and talking was made impossible over the resulting roars and chants of the crowd. 

* * *

><p>The game was like nothing Petunia had ever seen before. Granted she had technically been to a match last year but she'd been in no fit state to appreciate it. Now she could though. It was so complex, so engaging, so—<p>

"FOUL!"

She was vaguely aware that she was on her feet screaming in a way that would horrify her in normal circumstances, but that Ravenclaw idiot nearly knocked Lily off her broom! Besides, Quidditch was different, separate in a way she couldn't quite define. She spent most of the rest of the match sitting in absolute awe, enthralled by the game. She may never again get within ten feet of a broomstick but Petunia found that she quite enjoyed being a spectator. Beside her Severus cheered and groaned along with the rest of the crowd but she caught him sending her perplexed looks that rapidly slid towards highly amused.

She didn't have time to dwell on it though, as she saw the snitch darting through the Ravenclaw hoops. The match concluded in a high speed race between the two Seekers resulting in a victory for Gryffindor: 220—170 points. Petunia hugged Severus, nearly got some ribs broken by Hagrid and hugged a few more random strangers before reality asserted itself and she froze.

"Severus," she managed through numb lips, "get me down."

Gratifyingly quickly she felt a warm arm slide around her shoulders as Severus guided her to the stairs. She dimly heard a concerned rumble behind them and Severus' smooth tones answering but she was too focused on regulating her breathing to worry about that. Thankfully they were on solid ground soon enough and before she knew it she was engulfed in a hug.

Lily squeezed tightly, red hair an absolute rat's nest with the wind, before breaking away. "We won!" she cried as if Petunia _hadn't_ been there watching the whole time. 

* * *

><p>Lily was glowing with excitement, her hair windblown and her cheeks rosy from flying. Looking around, Severus spotted Frank in time to see him jerk backwards to avoid getting whacked with Black's bat as he waved it around to illustrate a point.<p>

"We won!" Lily caroled joyfully, snaring Severus' attention once again. "I scored two goals! _Two!_ Did you see?"

"We saw," Petunia assured her and he watched as her smile blossomed further.

"You were amazing, Lily," he said sincerely.

She flushed with pleasure just as Frank appeared at his elbow, having stowed his Beater's bat in the storeroom. "And what about me?" he demanded teasingly.

Severus smirked and batted his eyes at his friend. "You were amazing too, Frank," he purred.

Frank wrinkled his nose. "Now that was just disturbing," he said as the girls giggled. He turned to the others. "There's a party in the Gryffindor common room, Lily but…"

Severus felt his good mood deflate slightly. _But he and Tuney couldn't go._ He glanced at her and noted his disappointment mirrored in her eyes. It was a good thing that he had an alternative suggestion then.

"Tuney," he began slyly, "while you were having your fit of vapours after the match," he grinned at her outraged squawk and continued, "that Hagrid person was worried about you. He invited all of us down to his house for tea."

"What, even _you?_" she demanded and he shot her a dirty look.

"Hagrid?" Lily asked in confusion, "you mean the one who brings the first years to the castle?"

"That's the one," Frank said, looking interested. "He's the gamekeeper, isn't he?"

"He's the Keeper of the keys and grounds at Hogwarts," Petunia corrected grandly and Severus rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, he wants to know if Tuney's all right—" he started but Lily interrupted, grabbing her sister's hand.

"_Are_ you all right, Tuney?" she asked looking worried.

"I'm fine," Tuney replied, sounding a little irritated. "You know how I get with heights."

"You shouldn't have come if it was going to upset you, Tuney," Frank said seriously. "Lily and I would've understood."

"Oh for—for Merlin's sake!" Tuney exploded. "It wasn't a problem! Talking to Hagrid distracted me for the beginning, I perfectly fine _during_—"

"I'll say," Severus snickered.

Tuney paused and swung to face him, all offended dignity. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that Frank's going to have to work to keep the crown of the most Quidditch-obsessed in this group," he drawled, trying to keep a straight face. "I think I just witnessed the birth of yet another rabid Quidditch fanatic."

Lily gaped at him. "_Tuney?_" she demanded incredulously. "But…Tuney hates sports!"

Petunia opened her mouth to defend herself but nothing came except a bright blush.

Lily stared at her in open disbelief, Frank in burgeoning delight.

Squirming under the weight of their combined stares, she caved. "Well I didn't expect it to be so… intriguing," she admitted weakly.

"Brilliant!" Frank cackled, theatrically rubbing his hands together. "Yet another convert! Soon the world will be ours!"

The absurdity of that statement was too much and the four of them dissolved into laughter.

Severus recovered first and noted the curl of smoke rising near the pumpkin patch. "Well, will we go reassure Hagrid that Tuney's still alive?" he asked nonchalantly. It wasn't as if he really cared, but the gamekeeper _had_ been concerned about Tuney and he hadn't kicked up a fuss about them being in the Gryffindor section the way Severus had thought he might.

"I suppose we should," Petunia agreed, looking a bit guilty. "He seemed nice."

"I always wanted to meet him," Frank chimed in, bouncing on his heels in excitement. "Apparently he goes into the Forbidden Forest all the time—everyone says he knows the way around like the back of his hand!"

Severus' respect for the man rose a notch. If it were true…then he'd have to be very good to avoid the assorted bloodthirsty monsters that were rumored to roam the forest."

"We can't let him worry," Lily announced firmly. "Let's go see him."

As a group, they turned and, chatting lightly among themselves, headed away from the pitch towards the gamekeeper's hut. 

* * *

><p><strong>AN: My first ever attempt writing Hagrid! Please let me know what you thought? I was especially worried about the accent—I combed through the books trying to get it right. Please review, feedback is good! XD**


	23. Tea with Hagrid

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. T_T**

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><p>Hagrid's 'house' turned out to be a small wooden hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.<p>

"He lives _here?_" Petunia demanded incredulously, staring from the tiny wooden house to the shadowy trees encroaching on the back garden. She honestly couldn't decide which offended her more, the shabby dwelling or the monster-infested forest.

"It's not that bad," Severus said pragmatically. "At least being this close to the forest will keep most unwelcome guests away."

"Yeah, but what about unwelcome guests with big teeth?" Lily muttered, eying the forest nervously.

They stood for a moment until Frank grinned and sprang forward gesturing to a giant crossbow resting on the front step. "Something tells me Hagrid can take care of himself," he said gleefully, trying to pick up the weapon. He managed to raise it an inch off the ground before dropping it with a strangled grunt. "Bloody thing weighs a ton!" he panted, as the others approached.

"And you're surprised?" Severus asked sardonically. "It's almost as big as you are."

Frank had no time to answer as the door swung open. Hagrid beamed at them all as they froze.

"Yeh came!" he said in delight. "Come in, come in—make yerselves at home!"

Petunia tried not to stare as he ushered them in. There was only one room. _One!_ She could see his _bed_ in the far corner, covered with a cheerful patchwork quilt. She joined the others sitting at a large scarred table in front of a roaring fire. Hagrid bustled around, pulling a whistling copper kettle from its hook over the fire.

"Tea?" he asked and Petunia nodded vaguely along with the others, desperately trying to ignore the fact that there were dead animals swinging from the ceiling.

A large chipped mug was placed in front of her and she jerked backwards slightly to avoid the tea that slopped over the rim.

"So, these are the Gryffindor friends, are they?" Hagrid asked, settling down on the other side of the table.

Petunia nodded immediately, inwardly berating herself for her lack of manners. "Yes," she replied hesitantly, "this is my sister Lily, and our friend Frank."

Hagrid's beard twitched into a grin as he shook hands with both of them. "Yeh played a blinder," he assured them. "Gryffindor's first win o' the year, keep up the good work!"

Lily blushed but Frank just sat up straighter, looking proud.

"Anyway, Petunia," he continued, looking at her anxiously, "yeh seem alright now but…"

"I'm fine," she cut in hastily, "really. I just have a small problem with heights."

"Ah," Hagrid said wisely, "I see." And that was the end of it. Petunia blinked as the conversation turned to other things. She expected to spend this meeting having to constantly fend off well-meant but smothering concern. She wasn't sure if she was annoyed or simply grateful.

* * *

><p>Lily was fascinated.<p>

Hagrid's house was small, but so cozy. There were lots of little touches that made it evident that this was a home. The homemade quilt, the jar of lopsided flowers in the window, the smell of baking in the air…

_Wait…_

"Hagrid," she said in alarm, butting into Frank's curious questions about the forest, "is there something burning?"

"My buns!" Hagrid yelled, jumping up and grabbing a frilly apron from a hook on the back of the door when it had been hidden by a heavy moleskin coat. Lily caught Severus' bemused look and had to bite her lip to keep from laughing when a slightly singed Hagrid dumped a tray of knobbly golden buns onto the table with a clatter. "Saved 'em!" he said in relief.

"You bake?" Petunia asked, leaning over to get a better look at the steaming buns.

"Oh yeah," he replied, looking pleased at the interest. "These are my famous rock buns! I'm always experimentin' with the recipe, tryin' ter get 'em perfect."

"Really," Severus asked, perking up. "Sounds like what I do with potions." He paused then gave the buns a wary look.

"Would yeh like some?" Hagrid asked hopefully. "They go real well with the tea."

"Thanks Hagrid!" Frank said cheerfully. "I know I'm starving after dealing with those bludgers."

"Yeah, I'd love some too," Lily added, smiling as Hagrid's face lit up with pleasure.

"I wouldn't mind trying out some either," Tuney said curiously. "They look really good. Do you mind if I get the recipe off you later Hagrid?"

"Ah, no can do there, Petunia," he replied sorrowfully, "it's an old family recipe see, yeh understand?" he trailed off, gazing at her anxiously.

Petunia simply nodded. "Of course," she said graciously.

Everyone was given a bun, even Severus who hadn't said much since they'd entered. Lily frowned; remembering how he hadn't been exactly comfortable with her parents when he'd visited either. Sev seemed a bit shy of adults. She could understand it since she was normally that way herself, but there was just something about Hagrid that put her at ease. Frank was chatting away like an old friend and even Tuney had loosened up, apparently having got over the fact that she was sitting underneath gently swaying hams, peasants and other more unrecognizable meat products.

"Right then, enjoy!" Hagrid said, lifting his mug in a toast and watching in anticipation.

Lily felt like she'd bitten into a rock. She looked up to see Frank massaging his jaws as he tried to chew—she was impressed to realize he'd actually managed to get a bite. Tuney was frantically assuring Hagrid that yes, it was lovely and politely pretending to nibble on the edges. Severus just smirked at her and she scowled when she saw that he had waited for all of them to try it before risking it himself.

_Damn Slytherin!_

She wished she had thought of that.

She forced a smile, hoping her teeth were still intact and glanced down at her bun again. She couldn't even see any teeth marks! It looked so innocent; golden-brown and fluffy, just inviting the unwary to chip a tooth.

Hagrid was obviously happy that his buns had been such a hit and Lily's smile was a bit more genuine as she wrapped hers up for 'later.' Tuney and Frank hurriedly followed her example but Sev's pastry of doom had vanished—leaving only a few chiseled off crumbs.

Lily was pretty sure even Hagrid was taken aback. Severus just looked smug. At least until his plan backfired and Hagrid pressed a second one on him despite his protests of being too full.

It was a good day.

* * *

><p>Severus was actually enjoying himself at Hagrid's in spite of his initial reservations. Despite his size, the gamekeeper was clearly a gentle soul—which was rare in Severus' experience. The mood was much more relaxed after the bun fiasco, the ice broken. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or cringe looking back.<p>

He could almost expect it of the two Gryffindors but even Petunia, a Ravenclaw, hadn't given a second thought to trying a pastry from the person who self-admittedly was trying to create the perfect _rock_ bun!

They clearly needed a Slytherin around. Lily had recovered quickly though, wrapping hers up to dispose of later. Granted his own plan had an unexpected consequence but he was able to jump on the bandwagon of saving his extra bun for _later_. Right now, Hagrid was excitedly regaling them about the mate he'd just procured for his friend Aragog.

"There just so sweet together," Hagrid cooed, misty eyed as the four of them exchanged uneasy glances.

"But aren't Acromantulas really rare?" Frank asked weakly. "And kinda…illegal?"

But Hagrid waved the concern away. "Well yeah, but Aragog was so lonely! Its jus' not right, someone bein' so alone in the world, 'specially not someone yeh care about. Aragog and I've bin through a lot together," he said fondly. "He's my best friend."

Severus carefully didn't look at _his_ friends. He didn't find it very difficult to imagine breaking the law for any of _them_. Though granted, none of them were giant bloodthirsty spiders.

"Well, it's not like they're going to bother leaving the forest anyway," he said offhandedly, "so it doesn't really make any difference to _us_."

Hagrid looked almost touched at his rather mercenary statement and Severus shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, I guess," Frank said doubtfully. "As long as they're no danger…"

"Danger?" Hagrid flared up. "Aragog never hurt anybody! _Never!_ He's never comin' out o' the forest again—there's no need!"

Frank shrank back in his chair, raising his hands in surrender. "Okay, alright," he placated, "I just had to check!"

Lily and Tuney had a death grip on each other's hands and staring at Hagrid with big eyes. Severus just watched silently, slowly releasing his wand. It looked like Frank had prodded an old wound.

Hagrid slumped back in his seat and nodded, running a shovel-sized hand over his face. "Yeah I know," he said contritely, "Yer a good kid. Sorry 'bout that," he waved a hand vaguely, obviously referring to his earlier outburst. "Didn' mean ter scare yeh." He looked apologetically at the girls and Lily nodded back to him.

"I'd never put any student in danger," he said earnestly, "Aragog's bin in the forest fer years now and I've got his solemn word that he an' his will stay in the forest."

"His word?" Petunia blurted, almost forgetting her earlier fright. "But spiders can't talk…can they?"

"Well, not usually," Hagrid said, obviously a lot more comfortable now he was explaining something. "Aragog's a special case."

The conversation moved on, they discussed the mad Wizard trying to kill all muggles for a while. Hagrid didn't like to say his name; he seemed to think it was bad luck. They left soon after, promising to visit again soon.

"I liked him," Lily said hesitantly as they made their way towards the castle.

"Expect for how he finds giant spiders cute," Tuney said mulishly, shuddering a little.

"He seems decent enough," Frank agreed. "What do you think Severus?"

"I think the Marauders are coming this way," he responded tersely, keeping his eyes on the three figures laughing and jostling each other as they approached Hagrid's hut.

Lily groaned in exasperation. "Maybe they'll just keep going," she suggested hopefully but Severus could see that wasn't going to be the case. They were already slowing, their laughter petering off as they noticed who was heading in their direction.

Severus gripped his wand under his cloak and nearly hexed Frank on reflex when he grabbed his arm.

"Relax," he murmured, "they won't try anything. We outnumber them right now."

Severus gave a minute twitch of agreement and Frank released him, turning his attention to his Housemates.

"Sirius," he greeted. "Good game, wasn't it?"

Black stepped forward. "Well yeah," he said cockily, "but with Beaters like us, what did you expect?"

Lily cleared her throat pointedly.

"And magnificent Chasers as well," he finished smoothly, with a bow in her direction.

Potter grinned. "Nice save!"

Petunia snorted. "Yes well, as lovely as this moment has been, we were just leaving."

"What were you doing down here anyway?" Potter asked, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses.

"That's no concern of yours, Potter," Severus bit out before he could stop himself.

Potter's head jerked as if he was surprised that Severus wasn't going to roll over and tell him whatever he wanted to know. "It's my concern if you're planning to do anything to Hagrid!" he spat.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, James," Frank sighed. "Why do you think we've anything against Hagrid?"

"Not you, Longbottom," Black broke in, "It's Snivellous we're worried about!"

Severus hexed him before he could think about it.

He didn't feel in the least bit sorry.

* * *

><p>Lily wasn't surprised when Sirius yelped, his toenails bursting through his shoes. She couldn't even berate Sev since she was only sorry that she hadn't got there first. Sirius was such an idiot! They hadn't even done anything!<p>

Potter immediately whipped out his own wand, only to find himself facing down four. Peter dithered behind him, looking as if he wanted to bolt.

"Get lost, Potter!" Sev snarled. "And don't call me that stupid name or you'll be next!"

Potter's eyes flicked from one wand to the next, trembling with impotent fury. "And you three are fine being friends with _that?_"

Severus let out a scary sounding hiss and Sirius staggered forward, aiming his wand unsteadily. "I've got your back, James," he called. His toenails looked like they were still growing.

"Leave us alone!" Lily snapped. "None of us want anything to do with any of you so why don't you do us all a favor and just get lost!"

"Where's Remus?" Tuney asked suddenly. Severus knew what she was thinking. Remus would have re-directed their attention before things got so out of hand.

"That's none of your business!" Potter snapped.

"Oh?" Severus said silkily. "But what if you've _done_ something to him?"

Sirius looked sick. "We'd never—"

"And neither would we," Tuney interrupted firmly. "So go bother Madam Pomfrey and leave us alone."

At this point, Sirius, unbalanced by his continuously growing toenails, fell over. As Potter and Peter rushed to help him, the four of them made their escape.

* * *

><p>"You shouldn't have hexed them Severus," Frank said sternly. "You only let them know how much that name bothers you. They'll never stop using it now."<p>

Severus cursed but had to acknowledge the point. Still, part of him felt that it'd been worth it. His hex had worked even better than he'd hoped.

"They shouldn't have called him that in the first place!" Lily said stalwartly.

"And accusing _us_ of hurting Hagrid?" Tuney's voice echoed his own disbelief. "We aren't the ones with the reputation for dangerous pranks!"

"Since when has the _truth_ bothered the Marauders?" Severus jeered, a trifle bitterly.

"I just don't know where all this hostility is coming from," Frank sighed, shaking his head in bewilderment. "Apart from the booger incident and a couple of hexes where _they_ were instigators, Sev really hasn't done anything to deserve it!"

"It's because Slytherin has a certain reputation," Severus admitted heavily. "Cunning and ambition doesn't always mean trustworthy."

It was the first time he'd voluntarily mentioned the darker underbelly of his House. Lily and Tuney hadn't cared on the train but they hadn't really understood about House rivalries then. A real Dark Wizard like Voldemort hadn't been around to scare them. He couldn't expect their reactions to be the same. And Frank…well he honestly couldn't say.

"That's stupid," Petunia declared angrily. "It's not even a proper reason! If Ravenclaw is supposed to be the 'intelligent' House, then why do we have Xenophilius? And if Gryffindors are supposed to be brave, what on earth is Pettigrew doing there?"

Severus could felt his mouth gaping open and figured he probably looked as gobsmacked as Lily and Frank. They all stared at Petunia in something akin to awe.

"What?" she snapped. "It's ridiculous!"

"Well yes, obviously," Lily stammered, "but I never…"

"That's an excellent point Tuney," Frank said nodding thoughtfully. "It's easy to forget that each House is made up of individuals—and that everyone reflects those qualities in different ways."

Severus raised his eyebrows. "So you don't care you're hanging around with a potential Dark Wizard?" he asked incredulously.

Frank punched him gently in the shoulder. "Ambition, cunning, and moral ambiguity don't automatically mean evil, you idiot."

Severus rubbed his shoulder and glared but couldn't keep the surprise from his face. It was literally the first time anyone had ever said that to him.

Petunia sniffed moodily and patted her blonde hair, checking it wasn't too disheveled from the mad dash back to the castle. "Don't tell me you were actually _listening_ to those idiots," she scoffed.

"Not a chance in hell," he shot back, more by habit than anything.

"Well come on," Frank said impatiently, "I want to change out of my Quidditch robes and I bet you do as well Lily."

"Wh—oh, I mean yes!" Lily blurted. Severus caught her eye and she grinned blindingly at him making him forget all about…well everything, actually.

"Why don't you and Sev go to the Library, Tuney and we'll meet you there in…" She glanced at Frank, "…half an hour?"

"Sounds about right," he agreed.

"All right," Tuney said amicably. "I've got a Charms essay to finish anyway."

All right Sev?" Lily asked.

He felt his lips tug upwards in a secret smile. "All right." 

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thoughts? Please let me know! ;)**


	24. A New Skill

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anyone else for that matter! Why, I'm insulted that anyone would say anything different! ;P**

* * *

><p>By the time they'd met up in the library, Frank curiosity had got the better of him.<p>

"Severus," he said, interrupting speculations on just how _much_ skele-gro Hagrid had ingested and how it might have happened, "I didn't recognize that hex you used on Sirius." He grinned for a moment, recalling his Housemate's face. "Can you teach me?" he asked wickedly.

Severus returned the grin with a self-satisfied smirk. "Naturally you haven't heard of it," he said, looking far too pleased with himself, "but that's just because I've only just finished ironing out the kinks."

It took Frank at few seconds to get the implication but when he did, he just rolled his eyes.

"Nice try, Sev," he said drily, "which book did you get it from?"

Severus scowled, stung and straightened up in his chair. "It's _mine_!" he hissed, "I always wondered how spells worked even before I came to Hogwarts and I spent all last year fiddling around with this, trying to get it right." He glared at Frank, his dark eyes flashing dangerously. "It's _my_ spell!"

"But…"

"You invented a spell?" Lily blurted in delight. "That's so cool!"

Frank trailed off, staring at the irate Slytherin. It was clear that his friend no idea of the impact what he'd just said. Normally he could forget that Severus had spent most of his life in the muggle world but sometimes the gaps in his knowledge were painfully obvious. He wanted to pretend that Severus was lying and be done with it but he knew better. He'd known Sev long enough to recognize the signs of genuine pride.

"I hadn't realized people bothered," Tuney added thoughtfully, "but it makes sense. I guess it'd be boring if there were only the same spells all the time. And someone had to create those, right?"

"Well yes but…Severus, you _can't_ have invented a new hex," Frank said helplessly. This time something in his voice made Severus look beyond his wounded pride, his eyes narrowing.

"Why not?" he asked suspiciously. "I'm not saying it was _easy_ but—"

"Not _easy?_" Frank repeated weakly.

"Frank, what's the matter?" Lily asked looking worried. "Tuney said it. People must be creating spells all the time!"

"Not second year students!" he pointed out.

"Well no," she conceded, "but we always knew Sev was a bit of a genius."

"Yeah, in Potions!" Frank said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Listen Sev, this is the time to own up. None of us will think any less of you, I swear."

"Then you'll be disappointed," Severus bit out caustically. "The only thing I'm regretting is mentioning this at all. You can see my notes if it'll prove that I'm not lying."

Frank fought not to quail under the arctic glare that companied _that_ declaration but it was the underlying hurt that made him wince.

"Ah crap," he muttered. "Severus, I believe you, okay, I do."

Severus sat back and raised a single incredulous eyebrow. "If that is the case," he replied scathingly, "then you've been hiding it very well up until now."

Frank ruffled in hair, gripping it in frustration. "You're so—"

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Frank" Petunia cut in impatiently, "just cut all the drama and tell us why you're so upset."

"Because Severus has apparently invented a spell!" Frank nearly yelled, before hurriedly lowering his voice. "And none of you seem to realize what that means!"

"Well then please, Severus snapped acidly, "enlighten us." Lily and Petunia looked at him expectantly.

"It _means_," Frank said with exaggerated patience, "that you shouldn't be able to. Maybe there are foreign Wizards out there creating new spells but if there are, I've never heard of them. As far as I'm aware, there hasn't been a single new spell in hundreds of years!"

There was silent for a few moments while his friends digested this.

"Ah," Severus finally said delicately, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I can see why this might have upset you."

Frank just nodded, accepting the implied apology.

"Well I guess it kind of makes sense," Lily said, furrowing her brow. "People are generally lazy—right Tuney?" She grinned at her sister's offended sniff and continued, "If there're all these ready-made incantations, then why waste time and energy making more?"

"Clearly it _can_ be done," Petunia said pointedly. "If there wasn't this myth that it was impossible then more people would try and we'd be drowning in extra incantations."

Severus gave her an approving look as Lily nodded in agreement but Frank wasn't so sure. If that was the case, surely there would've been some rumour of the possibility.

"There was the whole war with Grindlewald too," Severus said thoughtfully, "which meant everyone was far too busy trying to stay alive to worry about new spells. Anyway, it _is_ difficult—maddening actually—and…" he paused for a moment, considering, before ducking his head. "…mine didn't exactly work the way I originally planned either."

"_What?_" Three voices melded into one and Severus looked defensive.

"Well, originally it was supposed to be a hex to make someone's nails drop off," he said sulkily, "which I wasn't having much luck with, but somewhere along the line I hit on a way to make them grow instead." He tilted his head in contemplation. "I think I like it better this way," he mused.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course you do," she said affectionately. "You do realize that we've just got another reason to hate you now, don't you?"

Severus immediately snapped out of his daze and looked at her worriedly. Even Frank couldn't suppress a chuckle at his expression.

"Relax, Sev," he said giving him a shoulder bump and getting a glare for his trouble. It wasn't one of his better attempts since Frank's blood remained unchilled and he grinned widely at his friend's disgruntlement.

"Well either way, just keep this little talent to yourself for now, Severus," Petunia said practically, pulling out her Charms book. "Now can someone please tell me how long this essay is supposed to be again?

And with that pronouncement the subject was closed, leaving the four of them to bicker good-naturedly about how many inches the Charms essay was supposed to be and who had stolen whose quill.

* * *

><p>None of them noticed a flash of silvery hair in the stacks behind their table or the speculative glance sent their way by calculating grey eyes.<p>

"Interesting," Lucius Malfoy murmured to himself as he eased his way back to his own table where his minions were waiting. This was why he loved the library. You always learnt something new.

* * *

><p>Remus was avoiding his friends.<p>

Christmas was rapidly approaching but he was far too stressed to enjoy the spectacular decorations around the castle or the fact that the holidays were just around the corner. Sirius had taken it upon himself to 'look out' for Remus' health, clearly of the opinion that his friend didn't look after himself enough.

Granted, sometimes he got so caught up in the library that he forgot about dinner and James and Sirius had to drag him down to the kitchens to get fed, but Sirius' attention was becoming stifling. Worse still, it was becoming dangerous.

Sirius had begun to notice how sick he got every month before he went to 'visit his Aunt.' James had written it off as stress but even he had begun to look concerned as time passed. The only one Remus could bear to be around was Peter. Dependable, oblivious Peter. But there was only so much homework he needed Remus to help with and he chafed at spending so much unnecessary time under Madam Pince's disapproving gaze.

This left Remus moping around the castle on his own, distancing himself from his friends and feeling generally miserable. At least until he almost tripped over Lily Evans on the stairs while he was hurrying to class.

"Lily!" he cried in shock, "are you all right?"

"No!" she growled, glowering at the books scattered around her. Remus opened his mouth to ask what happened when he caught sight of the ripped bag in her hand, frayed threads revealing a gaping tear along the seam.

"Ah," he said nodding. "That's happened to me a couple of times. Overstuffing your bag with books—I figured that would be more your sister's thing." Ravenclaw's were notoriously hard on bags.

"That's because this _is_ Tuney's bag," Lily sighed in resignation. "I grabbed it by mistake. She must have mine."

They looked around at the mess before Lily started to scoop up the books and papers closest. She seemed a little taken aback when he bent and helped but then she graced him with a dazzling smile.

"Thanks," she said as they both stood. "We'll have to run or we'll be late for Charms."

They made it—barely, each with a messy pile of books and crinkled papers in their arms.

"Lily!"

"My things!"

"Hi Remus!"

Remus blinked as Petunia snatched the bag from Lily muttering "_Reparo_" under her breath. Immediately Lily began warning her that it would just happen again while Severus gently relieved her of her burden, placing the pile in front of Tuney.

Frank grinned and waved at Remus to sit as he pushed his pile towards Tuney as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Remus saw that there was an empty seat next to James—saved for him no doubt but he ignored it, sitting next to Frank.

"If you want to continue avoiding the Marauders," a cool voice said from beside Frank, "we're going to the library after class."

Severus didn't bother looking at him, his attention on Flitwick as the class began. Remus glanced uncertainly at Frank who grinned warmly and Petunia, when she looked up from fussing with her bag, smiled hesitantly at him. Lily's head was bent as she scribbled something on a scrap of parchment and passed it to Severus who rolled his eyes before scratching out an answer.

Remus nodded at Frank as Flitwick's piping voice spoke up, telling them to start practicing the charm they'd covered during the previous lesson. "I'd love to," Remus whispered.

oOoOoOo

Eventually, he cautiously returned to hanging out with James, Sirius and Peter even though he felt they were getting uncomfortably close to discovering his secret. But the truth was that he was miserable without them, despite the company Frank, Lily, Severus and Petunia offered.

He enjoyed being part of their group and even the prickly Severus had made him welcome in his own way. But seeing their easy camaraderie only reminded him of his own friends. In the end, while he continued to join those four in the library whenever possible, Remus allowed himself the luxury of being happy and stopped running from his three dorm-mates. He was painfully aware that his inability to break ties with the other Marauders might lead to his expulsion and yet another scar on his heart, but they'd already wormed their way past his defenses.

He couldn't give them up.

Remus tried not to think of the inevitable moment when Sirius or James worked out just what was sleeping beside them in their dorm. Hogwarts was his dream, having actual friends was a gift beyond compare. Unfortunately, Remus Lupin knew all too well that this gift had an expiration date.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'd like to point out that genius!Sev is canon—youngest Potion Master, inventing spells in school… Of course here the toenail hex was more of a happy accident than anything. Severus still has a long way to go before he's creating Muffliato or Sectumsempra. But it has encouraged him to keep tinkering with spells and eventually… ;)**

**Please REVIEW! I always love to hear what you think! :)**


	25. A Christmas Apart

**Disclaimer: I (sadly) do not own any of these characters or places. *cries* ;_;**

* * *

><p>Lily slumped on the table, idly watching the snow whirl softly past the library window.<p>

"I give up," she moaned, "Come on Tuney, you're the Ravenclaw—you think of something!"

Petunia frowned across the table at her and folded her arms with a huff as Sev and Frank joined them.

"It's not my fault that all your ideas are hopeless," she said snappishly.

Lily pressed her cheek against the cool wood and tried to remember why hexing her sister was a bad idea. "Well then," she ground out, "why don't _you_ come up with something?"

Frank coughed gently and looked as if he regretted it at the twin glares he received.

"Um…what's going on?" he asked cautiously.

"We're trying to think of a magical present we can give Mum and Dad for Christmas," Lily said wretchedly.

"Something muggles can actually use," Tuney specified, completely unnecessarily in Lily's opinion.

"Aren't you cutting it a bit fine?" Severus demanded incredulously. "You're leaving tomorrow!"

"I know!" Lily wailed, burying her face in her arms. "We didn't think it would be this hard!" Glancing up, she saw even Petunia looked dejected.

Frank didn't seem too sympathetic and Lily really couldn't blame him. It was their own fault for putting it off and assuming any magical item would do—and forgetting that their pooled resources didn't amount for very much.

Severus was biting his lip and the look in his eyes had Lily sitting up.

"Sev?" she asked excitedly, "have you thought of something?" 

* * *

><p>Severus worried his lip a bit more.<p>

"I might have," he replied slowly. It would be a wrench to part with the only decent thing he owned but…he couldn't stand to see Lily looking so distraught. Or Petunia.

"Would a Wizard's chess set work?" he asked, unsure of what answer he wanted. "It's got its own magic so even muggles can use it."

"Wizard's chess! That's a brilliant idea—Sev, you're a genius!" Lily cried, lunging over to hug him.

A cloud of red hair and the scent of strawberries overwhelmed him for a moment before she pulled back looking so relieved and grateful that Severus had trouble remembering why he hadn't suggested it sooner.

"That's…we can't—I mean, are you sure?" Tuney stammered.

Severus shrugged. "It's just something I got in a cracker last Christmas," he said nonchalantly. "I might end up with another one this year anyway." He doubted he'd be that lucky but the radiant smiles from Lily and Tuney took the sting out of it.

Tuney glanced at her watch and did a double take. "Lily, we have to pack!"

"I'll give the chess set to Frank and he can bring it by later," Severus said, with a questioning look at his friend who promptly nodded in agreement.

"Have you packed already Frank?" Lily asked, swinging her bag over her shoulder.

"No need," he replied evenly. "I'm staying at Hogwarts this year."

"What? Why?" Tuney demanded anxiously.

"My mother's on the Auror team tracking that Voldemort character," he explained. "She didn't want me to go back to an empty house."

"What about your Dad?" Lily asked curiously, "Is he an Auror too?"

"He was," Frank said simply. "He was killed in action when I was three."

There was a horribly awkward silence for a moment where no-one knew what to say. Severus felt like he should sympathize but he knew he couldn't offer any true empathy. If _his_ father died he'd probably throw a party.

"I'm so—"

"God, Frank—"

Lily and Tuney stumbled over each other in a rush to apologize but Frank waved them off with only a hint of melancholy. "It's fine," he assured them, "you didn't know. I can barely remember him anyway. I'll bring the chess set to the common room later."

After the girls left, Severus regarded Frank carefully. He didn't seem overcome with emotion or appear to be fighting back tears. He wondered if he should risk broaching the subject. Thankfully, Frank decided for him.

"That was nice of you," he remarked, "giving up your stuff like that."

Severus shrugged in reply. "It's just stuff," he dismissed. He tilted his head slightly and gave Frank a piercing stare. "I'm sure your mother will be fine," he declared firmly.

Frank's eyes widened before a small smile spread across his face. "I know," he said quietly. 

* * *

><p>Remus waved his friends off and tried not to feel jealous that they got to go home for Christmas. He'd told them his parents had won a cruise and were travelling. Better than having them look a little too closely at the lunar calendar and noticing that the full moon fell during the holidays. The Headmaster had thought that it would be safer for him to stay at school and transform in a more secure environment.<p>

Remus had agreed because he didn't want to listen to his mother cry. His father always tried to remain stoic for his sake, but Remus could smell the salt of his silent tears when he had to witness his only son's agony. He knew his parents loved him but his pain hurt _them_ and if he could spare them that…

There were more students than usual staying at Hogwarts this year. Especially muggleborns. Voldemort was growing stronger by the day and more brutal with it. Terror was sweeping the Wizarding world and it seemed the Aurors were helpless to stem the tide. Apparently his Death Eaters were leaving his symbol over their kills now. A monstrous skull and snake combo. Remus could understand why some parents wanted their children to stay safely behind the wards of Hogwarts.

As the last carriage vanished around the bend carrying his friends away for the next two weeks, Remus slowly made his way back inside the castle. He'd noticed on the list that both Frank and Severus were staying as well. He was sure they wouldn't want him tagging along all the time but with luck the weeks wouldn't be as interminable as he'd feared.

* * *

><p>Staying at Hogwarts felt wrong to Frank. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the magnificent decorations or the piles of amazing food; on the contrary, the Christmas cheer was so overwhelming that he couldn't help but be distracted from his near-constant worry. But in quiet moments he felt the fear creep back in.<p>

He missed his mother.

It was a bit embarrassing for a strapping boy of twelve to admit; much less a Gryffindor, but that didn't make it any less true. He wanted to be at home with uncle Algie and his mother just like every year. Christmas had always been a time for family in the Longbottom household. Frank didn't know how Severus could bear always staying at Hogwarts instead of going home for the holidays. If he missed his parents, he never let it show.

Remus however, was like Frank in that he couldn't hide that trace of sadness. He covered it well with smiles and jokes but misery recognized misery and even a spectacular Hogwarts Christmas couldn't stop them from missing their families.

This left a deeply discomforted Severus as the only available candidate to try and cheer them up. He really wasn't very good at it, but he tried. Eventually in a fit of frustration he snarled at Remus and demanded to know if the vaunted _Marauders_—he impressively made the name sound like a dirty word—had discovered anything remotely interesting on their self-appointed mission to examine every nook and cranny of the castle.

From the way Remus' face lit up, apparently they had. 

* * *

><p>Augusta Longbottom was exhausted.<p>

She and Alastor had led their team into numerous skirmishes against petty crooks and criminals with 'airs' before. Each and every one had been nasty, corrupt and usually extremely violent, but she could honestly say that none of them had been _evil_. But what Voldemort was doing; lighting up scenes of slaughter with that repulsive Dark Mark, leaving 'presents' of Aurors tortured to the brink of death and well into insanity on the Ministry steps, sending his Death Eaters out to kill, maim and torture innocents for no other crime than existing…

She'd seen true evil once before. Even as a child she'd recognized it—Grindlewald may have been insane but he'd taken cruelty to new heights. And it seemed as if Voldemort was determined to surpass him. She shuddered at the thought. Everyone knew the situation was rapidly spiraling out of control, even if no-one wanted to admit it. Voldemort was growing bolder with every atrocity the Aurors failed to prevent.

Augusta didn't think the Wizarding world was ready for another war so soon after Grindlewald. Unfortunately, she was fairly sure that was exactly what Voldemort was counting on.

Which, in typical Longbottom stubbornness, only made her more resolved to see him rotting in Azkaban.

oOoOoOo

"Constant vigilance!" Alastor barked in her ear and Augusta didn't even try to stop her reflexive hex. Her partner simply spun to the side, letting it fly harmlessly past him before facing her wintery stare.

"Don't treat me like a raw recruit, Moody," she warned, her already thin patience dangerously close to snapping.

"Just checking," he replied gruffly, ignoring the weary grins that lit the faces of their team. The surviving members of their team. Of the twenty that left the Ministry, only fourteen were coming back. Auror numbers had been falling with every Death Eater raid or ambush they faced. It didn't help that the 'presents' left at the Ministry, apart from simply lowering morale, had also made most of her colleagues determined not to be captured alive.

"You looked like you were walking around in a daze," he accused softly. "I knew you should have taken that Pepper-up!"

Her hand lifted briefly to the side of her head, just below her hat. The wound had been completely healed of course but the blood still looked horrific. "It was only a scratch," she said dismissively. "There were others who needed it more."

She gave him a significant look and his brown eyes narrowed. The blood splattered across his face didn't exactly hide the fact that a chunk of his nose was now missing.

"Who brings a knife to a duel?" he grumped, gingerly poking his face. "It's not just stupid, it's barbaric!"

"Constant vigilance," Augusta responded drily.

The laughter that broke out behind them was rapidly choked off when Alastor gave them a _Look_ over his shoulder. Still the atmosphere had lightened somewhat as she made her way over to where two of her men were crouched over a battered shoe. One of them had a striped purple stocking on his otherwise bare foot.

"Progress," she demanded.

The Auror missing a shoe looked up. "We're about ready, Commander," he reported smartly. "The portkey should bring us to the atrium. We'll be back at Headquarters in no time."

"Excellent Stibbons," she said crisply. "All right everyone, gather around!"

As the rest of the team converged, Alastor took her elbow. "I don't like this," he muttered furtively. "We should just Apparate."

Augusta gave a pointed look towards the men and women currently trading barbs about Stibbons' fashion sense—or lack thereof. Several were swaying slightly, either from blood loss or residual curse damage.

"No-one is in a condition to Apparate right now," she retorted quietly, "not even us."

She raised an incredulous brow at Moody's automatic protest and he scowled.

"Splinching ourselves would be like rolling out the welcome mat for any lucky Death Eater and you know it," she said with a tone of finality as she moved to join the others.

Alastor muttered a few epithets under his breath but followed grudgingly. The mere thought of being defenseless against an enemy was enough to forestall his instinctive paranoia. It was far better to take the direct route home. With a portkey they'd be in the heart of the Ministry within seconds.

"Ready?"

At the host of tired nods, Augusta raised her wand. Everyone grabbed a piece of the shoe as she intoned, "Portus!" 

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please review and share your thoughts! ^_^**


	26. SOS

**Disclaimer: Still not mine.**

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed—I'm sorry it's been so long. I'm in a different country and I've been shockingly homesick and a bit miserable. But…after an embarrassingly long time, the next chapter!**

**Hope you enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p>Severus stared blankly at the painting.<p>

"It's a bowl of fruit," he said flatly. "Seriously Lupin, you dragged us halfway around the castle to look at some tacky _art?_"

"Well, I wouldn't say tacky," Frank said diplomatically, giving Severus a warning look. "But I will admit that I was expecting something more…"

"More." Severus finished, tilting his head to regard Remus incredulously. "With all the build-up I was under the impression that you'd found the Chamber of Secrets or something equally as dramatic."

Frank snorted out a laugh. "Merlin Severus, there's no need to go _that_ far!"

Remus simply smiled and gestured back at the frame. "It's not a normal painting," he said enigmatically. "Tickle the pear."

Severus could feel his eyebrows shoot up as he exchanged a bewildered glance with Frank. "Tickle the… Is that some kind of bizarre Marauder code?" he demanded suspiciously.

The way Remus was biting his lip as if trying desperately not to laugh didn't exactly fill him with confidence. If it wasn't for the fact that he _knew_ Black and Potter had gone home for Christmas, he would have hexed him by now. As it was, he surreptitiously gripped his wand and kept a close watch.

"I swear it's not," Remus said contritely. He seemed to have got a hold of himself. "Frank," he appealed, "I'm being serious, just tickle the pear."

Of course since Frank was a Gryffindor, he was naturally inclined to do something questionable for no good reason at all, leaving Severus to hastily cast detection spells in the background. Finding nothing, he remained silent as Frank stepped up to the picture and, with a dubious look at Remus, reached out and hesitantly rubbed the pear. Immediately it squirmed and twisted, emitting high pitched giggles as Severus grabbed Frank's collar and yanked him backwards.

However the sight of the portrait swinging back distracted Severus from flaying his friend for reckless stupidity as Remus grinned at them. "Welcome," he said with a flourish, "to the Hogwarts kitchens!"

* * *

><p>Frank absently rubbed his neck as he peered through the portrait hole with Remus. "Wow…" he breathed and Remus grinned. Hundreds of house elves swarmed around the huge space in their neat little tea-towel togas, carrying massive platters of food.<p>

A small gasp had him looking at Severus who was staring at the scene before him in amazement. Remus frowned slightly. A pureblood should surely be used to house elves by now, even if he'd never seen quite so _many_ before.

"Funny looking things, aren't they?" Frank remarked, watching Severus' eyes widen as one of the creatures headed towards them. "They literally live to serve."

"Hello young Masters!" the elf squeaked, bouncing eagerly in front of them. He had large watery brown eyes, a bulbous nose and huge bat-like ears. "We is very busy preparing the Christmas Feast but Dizzy will serve you! What is Masters needing?"

"Hi Dizzy," Remus said gently, "I don't know if you remember me—"

"Of course Dizzy is remembering Sir!" he interrupted, his ears quivering as he gazed adoringly at Remus. "Master Remus was so kind, he actually said please to Dizzy! And then _thank you_ to Marsy!" He paused, looking overcome. "Dizzy thought Marsy would be walking into walls—the other elves had to _sit_ on Marsy until she got over the shock!"

Remus shifted slightly, uncomfortable with the level of devotion shining from Dizzy's eyes. A laugh hastily turned into a cough caught his attention. Frank and Severus were looking from him to the elf by his knee in clear amusement.

"Should we give you two a moment alone?" Frank teased. He seemed a little disconcerted when Remus smiled back.

"Oh no, I'd never be so selfish," he said smoothly, turning to the elf. "Dizzy, I'm afraid to say that Frank and Severus here are…" he stretched out the pause, relishing in his companions nervousness, "…hungry."

Frank sucked in a breath as Dizzy's eyes widened with horror. Frank's reaction had made Severus tense but the Slytherin didn't seem to understand the magnitude of the situation, something which Remus filed away to ponder later.

"Remus…!" Frank pleaded but he just shot him an impish grin.

"Young Masters are hungry?" Dizzy gasped, sounding distraught. All movement around them stopped. The abrupt stillness was eerie as the question hung ominously in the air.

"Starving," Remus answered gravely.

The kitchens suddenly burst into motion again but this time the focus was his two friends. Remus kept out of the way and watched cheerfully as Frank and Severus found themselves sitting at one of the tables, surrounded by food. Absently he accepted some tea with honey from a random elf, his murmured thanks causing fat tears of joy to roll down its cheeks as it bowed itself away.

* * *

><p>Every time they tried to extract themselves, an elf would appear with another contribution and Frank just couldn't refuse. It'd be like kicking a puppy. However, the element of surprise was fading and he knew that Severus was getting twitchy. He'd already eaten more than Frank had ever seen him eat in one sitting.<p>

When the elves started talking about ice-cream and perhaps a nap, he knew it was time to leave. He just didn't know how. House Elves were like a force of nature when they thought a human needed care and combined with the fact that Frank hated shattering their self-esteem by saying no to an offering, usually meant that the diminutive servants walked all over him.

Severus was rather obviously fingering his wand and desperately casting not-so-subtle looks for an opening in the wall of babbling elves around them. Frank was reasonably sure that if they didn't get out soon, someone would get hexed. In fact, he was impressed that Severus had restrained himself for so long, but then there was just something about house elves. It would take a really cold-blooded person to actually be deliberately cruel to one.

Thankfully, Remus had also noticed the warning signs and finally intervened, saying they were late to dinner and had to keep an appetite. Severus moved closer to Frank as Remus herded them towards the portrait hole.

"He's laying it on a bit thick isn't he?" he murmured, as Remus assured the elves that they should have enough strength to reach the Great Hall now.

Frank shook his head. "I should have remembered that I was teasing a Marauder," he sighed ruefully. "I guess his elf fan club is off-limits."

"I heard that," Remus said dryly as the door closed behind them.

"Are they always so…" Severus struggled to find the right word, "…overwhelming?"

"Well they love serving humans but usually they're a bit more restrained," Remus assured him. "They just can't bear the thought of failing in their jobs."

Severus narrowed his eyes. "So when you said we were hungry…"

Frank snorted. "It was like someone telling you that Hogwarts was out of potions."

"It was a travesty that had to be rectified immediately," Remus finished with a satisfied smile.

Severus stared at the Gryffindor with new respect. "That was almost worthy of a Slytherin," he said wonderingly.

Frank looked at Remus anxiously but to his relief, he seemed to accept it as the complement it was rather than an insult as Sirius or James would see it as.

"A drunk, concussed first year Slytherin," Severus continued in the same admiring tone, "but a Slytherin nonetheless."

Frank rolled his eyes as Remus gave a snort of surprised laughter.

* * *

><p>But when they finally reached the Great Hall, no-one commented on their lateness. No-one even noticed. The students were milling around the table set up at the top of the Hall, completely ignoring the vast array of foods and casting anxious glances at the tight cluster of teachers off to the side. Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.<p>

Frank exchanged bewildered looks with Remus and Severus before leading the way over to the table. They approached a Gryffindor firstie who was practically vibrating with tension. She jumped a mile when Frank touched her shoulder and he stepped back in surprise.

"Oh! S-sorry," she blurted. "I-I didn't—it's just the shock I suppose…"

"Can you tell us what's going on?" Remus asked soothingly. "I'm afraid we were a bit late."

She glanced at Frank with a small smile and startled a little at the sight of a Slytherin voluntarily standing with two of her Housemates but focused her attention on the two Gryffindors.

"The ministry is under attack," she whispered, looking around nervously. "By _Him_."

Frank felt his stomach clench viciously and for a moment he thought all of the House Elves generosity would be making a return appearance.

"_Him?_" Severus mocked; a solid, comforting warmth at his left shoulder. "Can't you be a little more specific?"

The firstie gulped at his arctic tone but attempted a glare nonetheless. "_Him_," she repeated vehemently. "You _know_ who!"

Voldemort, it had to be. Frank took a deep breath and tried to calm down. This was the Ministry they were talking about for Merlin's sake! And his mother was so often out on missions these days; she probably wasn't even in Headquarters anyway.

"Tell me everything," he said harshly.

"Frank?" Remus' concerned tones filtered through but he couldn't look away from the girl in front of him, as if that would have an impact on what she would say. She shifted on her feet in clear discomfort but Frank couldn't bring himself to say something polite and set her at ease. It was all he could do not to break into a teachers office and use their floo to get some answers.

"You'll have to excuse him," Severus interrupted smoothly, drawing the girl's attention from the way his hand kept twitching towards his wand. "He has relatives working in the Ministry. Your news…well I'd say his reaction is understandable wouldn't you?"

Frank would have spared a moment to be impressed at Severus managing to _avoid_ a social gaffe if he wasn't ready to throttle him for wasting time. 'The Ministry's under attack…by _Him_.' The very criminal his mother has been tracking, someone who has to be pretty annoyed by the Auror in charge of fouling up his plans at every step.

The firstie was looking more sympathetic now, nodding at Remus who'd stepped up to the plate, coaxing the information from her with gentle smiles and quiet questions. Severus had backed off, glaring when anyone else ventured too close. Frank dimly wondered if he'd used up his politeness quota for the year. He'd feel grateful later but now he forced himself to listen as the girl told them about a silver bird, like a ghost, who'd spoken to Dumbledore with a woman's voice and called him Albus. Apparently 'that maniac' had broken into the Ministry—and the bird had asked for Dumbledore's help.

Remus quizzed the girl ruthlessly; how did the woman sound (bad), did she mention any names (just you know who), what did the Headmaster do (knock over his chair in his hurry to reach the fireplace, dig some sparkling powder out of his robes and disappear in a swirl of flames)

Eventually Remus released her and she staggered off looking wrung out and exhausted as Frank dropped bonelessly into the nearest chair. Severus and Remus sat quietly on either side of him.

"What if she's dead?" it was just a breath, hardly loud enough to pierce the worried chatter around them. Remus shot a hesitant look at Severus who just stared back without any expression at all. Frank winced as he remembered the Slytherin's vague explanation—he'd never mentioned his mother to Remus.

"My mother's an Auror," he explained, "She's the lead on the Voldemort case actually." Pride and fear battled for supremacy in that one sentence and Frank felt a leaden weight settle on his chest. "My Dad was an Auror too," he continued absently, "but he died years ago. Killed defending a child from some two-bit murderer."

Looking up he encountered Remus' understanding gaze and Severus' slightly uncomfortable one. A tiny smile twisted his lips but it soon slipped away.

"It's the Ministry, Frank," Remus said tentatively, "One of the safest places in the Wizarding world. If you had to be attacked, then it's the best place to be. The defensive wards are woven into the very walls! Not to mention that back-up's only a heartbeat away—with the amount of Aurors in there, they'll be watching each other's backs for sure."

Frank felt the weight on his chest lighten slightly.

Severus cleared his throat beside him. "Besides I've met your Mother Frank," he added awkwardly. "She looked like she could take care of herself."

Frank nodded solemnly. "She can," he stated firmly. "She's not head of her department for nothing. It's just—"

He broke off as the teachers broke up their huddle and began shooing students back to their dorms. Frank swallowed hard. "—the Ministry's supposed to be safe," he whispered. "Who would bother to be on their guard when they're at 'home'?"

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><p>Severus exchanged a helpless look with Remus over Frank's bowed head. He had no idea how to help his friend. He wished briefly but fiercely for Lily and Tuney before banishing the thought. They weren't here so it was up to him and Remus. He fought a snort of derision. Working with a Marauder, any minute now Voldemort would prance in wearing a pink tutu and declaring he was the heir of Hufflepuff.<p>

Although Remus had proven himself to be nothing like those morons he hung out with. Apart from his obvious poor taste in friends. Casting around for something to distract Frank, he frowned.

"What was that about with the 'ghost bird'?" he demanded abruptly. "We shouldn't just take that kid's word; it sounds like she was sneaking some of Hagrid's mulled wine."

The other two looked over in surprise before Remus narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "I thought it sounded a bit like a Patronus at first, at least until she said it spoke."

Severus tilted his head slightly. He'd heard of the Patronus charm, there was a short entry in one of his mother's books. "Happy thoughts given corporeal form if a Witch or Wizard is powerful enough," he mused. "I don't see why that sprang to mind in this case."

Remus grimaced. "I know," he shrugged, "they're meant to be for warding off Dementors and they definitely don't _speak_ but—"

"They can," Frank interrupted quietly. "It's an Auror trick."

"I've never heard of it," Remus said sounding fascinated as he leaned closer. "How?"

"Mother said Dumbledore came up with it during the war with Grindlewald and it got passed through the Auror ranks," Frank said, brightening slightly. "It's the fastest way to send messages and completely untraceable."

"That's amazing," Remus breathed, his eyes shining. Severus privately agreed, wondering whether to mention that Dumbledore had clearly _invented_ a spell but deciding at the last moment that it probably wasn't the time.

"Boys," Professor McGonagall said sternly. Looking around, Severus saw the last of the students being escorted out of the Hall. "Time for bed."

Meeting Frank's eyes, Severus stifled a sigh. Having Gryffindor friends could be exhausting sometimes. With a forced smile for the professor, he followed Remus and Frank back to their dorm wondering how on earth Frank thought he was going to pull _this_ off.

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><p><strong>Please review-what do you think? Lovehate/meh? Let me know!**


	27. Ambush

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. *sniffs***

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who left a review—I love hearing from you guys!**

**This chapter had me in knots, I'm really struggling with writer's block lately… :(**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

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><p>The first thing that alerted her to the fact that something was wrong was the silence. The hallways of the Ministry were never silent—not even in the dead of night. There was always some intrigue playing out or some over-dedicated or over-ambitious workers burning the midnight oil. But they were never quiet about it—what was the point of being dedicated if no-one knew?<p>

Ignoring the murmurs of unease from her team, she carefully surveyed the eerily empty atrium. She'd long since gotten used to the splendor of the polished floors and the rows of magnificent gilded fireplaces set into the shining wood paneled walls. The fires were quiet now; burning a common orange instead of a shimmering emerald, no busy stream of impatient travelers arriving or queuing to depart.

Her wand was out even before she had time to process what it all meant. Alastor stepped up beside her scanning the area tensely, his wand ready. She felt her team fanning out, taking position behind them. A sudden gasp made her spin.

"The ceiling!" Stibbons gasped in horror, "The runes!"

With a feeling of dread prickling over her skin, Augusta looked up and felt her breath catch as Alastor swore viciously. The ceiling of the atrium was its usual peacock blue but the golden runes that normally danced and flowed ever-changing across its surface were frozen in place, as if they were simply painted muggle-style. The sense of 'wrongness' intensified to almost unbearable levels. That net of protection was the product of the four most famous Witches and Wizards of the Wizarding world, the mere fact that something or some_one_ could disrupt it—maybe even destroy it…

"We have to get out of here," Alastor growled, twitching as he tried to look everywhere at once. "The Ministry's been compromised."

King spoke up, looking stubborn. "But that's im—"

The streak of sickly green light caught her right between her shoulder blades and she dropped; her eyes blank and locked in a look of skeptical disbelief.

Augusta barely heard the small choked sound of grief from Stibbons as she, Alastor and the rest of the team shot back a flurry of curses at their unseen assailant.

"Form 5!" she barked as figures in Death Eater masks and robes began appearing all around the atrium. "Objective 666!"

Her team immediately scattered, disillusioning themselves as they went and she quickly followed suit. She'd never been as grateful to Alastor's rampant paranoia as she was now. It had been him who'd insisted on training the recruits to recognize orders coded as numbers rather than following the old tradition of simply bellowing out instructions for the enemy to hear and counter.

Not that this was a particularly surprising strategy. Often joked about but rarely used, objective 666 was basically Auror-speak for _RUN AWAY!_

Unfortunately as the Death Eaters began to attack and she stumbled with the force of the sudden anti-apparition wards; that appeared to be easier said than done. 

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><p>Alastor Moody was angry. If asked, any of his trainees could and <em>would<em> explain (at length) why this was a Very Bad Thing. Unfortunately for them, these Death Eaters were learning by experience. It _was_ his favored method of teaching and certainly the maggots he encountered wouldn't cross an Auror—or anyone else—ever again. However, there was too many of them for his fury to really make the necessary impact.

The enemy was learning fast, coordinating to send out blanket _Finite incantatem'_s to negate their disillusionment charms. At least they couldn't do the same with offensive spells without decimating their own ranks. But already more than three quarters of his team was visible. They were tough and canny, the cream of the crop but they were out-numbered and trapped with nowhere to run. He gritted his teeth and kept his focus despite the sudden screams that faded to an ominous gurgle as one of his people was taken down by a slicing hex.

It was going to be a slaughter. It was a grim realization that you and those you cared about were going to die in the one place where you should have been safe.

As he spun to avoid a curse, he caught sight of Augusta battling three Death Eaters at once. He took down his opponent and spun to face a heavyset fellow brandishing his wand like a club. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her adversaries fall like dominoes, one after another. She was a glorious sight to behold. A sudden gash across his face had his mind back in the fight. So this was the maniac with the fetish for slicing hexes. Ignoring the pain from having his cheek split open, Alastor bared his bloody teeth in a grin.

If he was going to die, he wasn't going alone. 

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><p>Augusta was tiring. No-one was responding to her various distress signals. She didn't want to think too hard on the reasons for that—not that she had a second to spare. They had held out for a while but the survivors had slowly been forced back, bunched together.<p>

The fountain was destroyed. The once proud wizard had had his head blown off early on and the centaur was now the solid gold rubble that was sheltering them. The house elf was little more than a heap of molten slag. Crouched down amid the scorched and bubbling metal, Augusta and the five remaining Aurors in her charge cast shield and misdirection spells until they were hoarse, leaving a badly wounded Alastor propped up and firing the nastiest curses he could think of.

He was very creative.

"Those bastards," he panted roughly, "they're just toying with us now!"

No-one bothered answering. It was obvious that they were going to be the 'entertainment.' Augusta shuddered at the thought of ending up a gibbering, broken wreck like the other Aurors that had been captured alive.

"Are we really just going to give up?" Dearborn demanded desperately. "There's got to be something—"

High cold laughter interrupted him and Augusta's blood turned to ice in her veins. _Voldemort_.

"There is _no_ escape."

Voldemort's voice rang out across the hall, quieting the mocks and jeers of his Death Eaters as he continued, "There is no cavalry riding to the rescue. And even if any were foolish enough to make the attempt, they would be cut down in an instant. This is a new beginning for the Wizarding world—I will purge our bloodlines and create a purer future!"

The wild cheering of the Death Eaters made McKinnon mock-gag and Augusta found herself biting back a smile—here, in this place. She felt a sudden rush of pride for them, her stalwart companions. Dearborn, Stibbons, Bones, McKinnon, Fletcher….Alastor. There would be no running now—she looked away from the mangled mess of Alastor's leg—no last minute miracle. All they could hope for was one lucky shot.

She saw the acknowledgement in their eyes, the steely determination as the cheers began to die down. Alastor tipped her a weary salute and she tensed as Voldemort finally showed himself. He stepped almost daintily around the blackened, oozing chunks of metal, flanked by two Death Eaters. He would have been handsome if it wasn't for his eyes. They were flat and dead—just _wrong_ in a way that defied rational explanation.

With a careless flick of his wand the rubble vanished, causing Alastor to hit the ground with a grunt of pain as the Death Eaters circled them.

"So how does it feel?" Voldemort asked cruelly, "knowing that you have lost?"

A crucio hit McKinnon and she screamed. Dearborn and Stibbons retaliated with the killing curse but they were disarmed and crucioed before they'd even gotten past the first syllable.

"No-one is left who can defeat me," he shouted over the howls. "With this, I _win_."

Instead of despair, the words sparked an idea that set Augusta's mind ablaze. It _wasn't true_. There was still one person, not an Auror, but the one Wizard who had destroyed a Dark Lord before. Without pausing to consider, keeping her wand low, she yelled "_Expecto Patronum!"_

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><p>All hell broke loose as Augusta's Patronus burst from her wand. Alastor didn't even think before using what was left of his failing strength to lurch in front of her. He felt the curse hit, felt the flood of cool wetness splash across his face and then he didn't feel anything at all. <p>

* * *

><p>Augusta knew she didn't have much time, but somehow she managed to scream out a message and send the Patronus winging away before she was hit with something heavy. Gasping, she saw Bones and Fletcher take down one of the Death Eaters, saw McKinnon wordlessly summon her wand and felt a wild surge of hope.<p>

Only to have it crushed as they were brought down by the sheer overwhelming numbers.

She began to struggle, to push off the dead weight of the body on top of her when her wand was blasted from her hand. She ignored the flash of pain as her fingers broke.

Screams began to ring out around her as the Death Eaters laughed but she couldn't move.

She'd finally realized just who the body belonged to.

"So you still tried to call for help?" a voice sneered. Dimly she knew that she should be listening but everything seemed so distant. Or at least it did until Alastor's body was tossed aside like garbage, leaving her staring up at ugly eyes and a supercilious sneer.

He raised his wand, incanting crucio almost lazily but she threw herself to the side, reaching up for her hat. Her rage burned brightly, fueling her wandless command and she felt the sudden movement, the clatter of feathers as the vulture's wings swept open and it launched itself, talons first, towards Voldemort's face. 

* * *

><p>Green light splashed harmlessly off it as it reached its target. You can't kill what's not alive, she thought vindictively. She had the pleasure of seeing blood spurt as its talons gored the monster's skin before several curses hit her at once, sending her skidding across the floor.<p>

A clamour arose but she couldn't make out the words, the simple act of breathing seemed to take all her concentration. A new voice, strong and powerful boomed out. Augusta struggled to turn her head towards it, knowing nothing except she trusted that voice.

Feathers were scattered across the floor as two Wizards faced off. That confused her slightly since they were inside…weren't they?

Bright lights and screams rang out as the good voice boomed again. It occurred to Augusta that the bad voice sounded almost nasal in comparison. It was certainly weaker. Sudden cracks echoed through the air and she frowned. She was almost certain that meant something important…

A sudden flare of agony made her cough wetly. She saw a few people sprawled out on the floor of the empty hall but it was too hard to focus. Her head lolled as someone lifted her gently. Augusta's breath stuttered at the movement and everything started to dim around the edges. Far away she could hear someone talking urgently and smiled. She liked that voice.

The last thing Augusta Longbottom saw before the darkness overtook her was dazzling golden runes dancing brightly overhead. 

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><p><strong>AN: Feedback please? :) **


	28. Aftermath

**Disclaimer: I don't own HP so please don't sue, I can't afford it! ;P**

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, my beta has her final exams (Good luck Sweetpea28!) and RL is hectic at the moment.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!**

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><p>"Did you hear what happened at the Ministry?"<p>

"You know who attacked—"

"Albus Dumbledore drove him off!"

"—Grindlewald you know…"

"Ran off with his tail between his legs!"

"The Aurors were useless, of course!"

"How he even got in—"

"But…"

"—nothing to worry about. This "war" will be over in a month!"

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><p>Albus Dumbledore swept through the corridors of St. Mungo's trying not to flinch at what he heard. Everyone seemed to be forgetting he had responsibilities of his own, caring for the future of the Wizarding world. He obviously hadn't done as well as he'd thought on that front. Tom Riddle of all people, preaching Pureblood supremacy…<p>

The boy once had such potential! Of course Albus had always been suspicious about the Acromantula incident—he given Hagrid a job after all—but he'd simply believed that Tom had seen Hagrid's 'pet' and jumped to conclusions. A trifle overzealous perhaps; but when looking at a spider the size of a first year; completely understandable.

But now that whole situation had taken on a decidedly sinister cast in Albus' mind. Was that where it all started to go wrong for Tom? His first taste of murder? The thrill of getting away with it? Or was it before then, before he'd ever even heard of Hogwarts and took pleasure in using his abilities to hurt the children around him?

Power, that's what it all came back to. Tom and his insatiable need for control, for domination.

Albus felt like a failure.

Even as people praised him for 'defeating Voldemort,' he knew it wasn't over. He had bruised Tom's pride—a setback—but one that he would eventually recover from. Voldemort would return. And Albus knew Tom as a cunning, intelligent boy. He wouldn't allow himself to be caught by surprise twice. There was no way he would ever put himself in a position to be humiliated again, especially not in front of his followers. He would avoid Albus like the plague until he was confident that he could destroy his old professor without much of a fight.

Which while good news for Hogwarts and the children under his protection; it also unfortunately meant that this war was only just beginning.

* * *

><p>Healer Thornton was frazzled. She desperately wanted to sit down, take a breath or maybe a Pepper-up but there was just no time. The massive influx of the dead and wounded, sadly the former was far greater than the latter, meant that every Healer and apprentice was pulling double shifts trying to keep up.<p>

The Healer gazed at her current patient in sympathy and reluctant admiration. He really should be dead. She sighed, her gaze drifting over the jagged curse scars, the bandaged eye that hid an empty socket and the depression in the blankets where his left leg should have been. He'd probably wish that he _had_ died once he woke up.

* * *

><p>The room was incongruously cheerful and bright. The woman lying in bed looked vaguely perplexed by that and Albus stifled a smile at her woozy glare. She should have looked frail; her thin body devoid of her bulky Auror robes and fearsome hat but her blue eyes betrayed that picture. Though fogged by potions, they caught his gaze as soon as he stepped through the door.<p>

Albus Dumbledore paused, taking in the steel in Augusta Longbottom's gaze. Yes, a very formidable woman indeed. Outnumbered ten to one by Death Eaters and yet she managed to save a handful of her squad as well as herself. Considering the circumstances, it was something close to a miracle. An idea began to take root in his mind and he gave it space to unfurl as he focused his attention on the Witch before him.

"You came," she coughed and he hurried to her side.

"Of course," he replied, transfiguring a cup from a napkin and summoning water with his wand.

She sipped his offering with shaky hands but Albus made no move to assist, knowing it would be politely rebuffed.

As she handled the cup back, her strength seemed to fade.

"The others?" she gasped, fighting her suddenly heavy eyelids.

Albus couldn't keep the sorrow from his face and she closed her eyes.

"How many?" she demanded weakly.

"Dearborn and McKinnon survived," he said heavily, "The rest of your team were killed."

A low sound of pain escaped her before her eyes flew open.

"Alastor?"

"He's alive, Augusta," Albus reassured her. "His condition is critical but the Healers are optimistic about his chances."

Her sudden burst of energy gone, she relaxed back into the pillows. "Of course he is," she muttered fondly. "The old goat is too damn stubborn to die."

"Naturally," Albus agreed placidly, taking a step back as he saw a Healer hovering anxiously in the doorway. "Is there anything I can get you before I leave?"

"Frank," she sighed. "I want to see Frank."

"Of course," he murmured as her eyes finally slid closed. The dormant idea suddenly burst into full bloom in his mind. If Tom wouldn't approach _him_, then they needed some other way of opposing him. Clearly the Ministry had been compromised but perhaps…

With a distracted smile he left the room, nodding politely to the wide-eyed Healer.

"Albus Dumbledore!"

"—defeated Grindlewald, you know!"

"Even You know who is scared of him!"

People turned and stared as he passed, but Albus kept walking. He couldn't do it alone. To stop the monster his student had become he would need allies, people he could trust, stubborn and strong-willed Witches and Wizards that Tom couldn't turn. Albus Dumbledore ignored the awed whispers as he headed towards the floo.

He had a promise to keep and plans to set into motion.

* * *

><p>"Frank!"<p>

Frank jerked awake to the uncomfortable feeling of being watched. He blinked around the dimly lit Gryffindor common room, the smoldering embers in the fireplace the only source of illumination. Severus was crouched beside him and Frank had a moment of disorientation before he remembered why the Slytherin was there. The fact that Severus hadn't slunk back to the dungeons made Frank grin woozily at him as he fought back a yawn. He opened his mouth to ask the time when he finally woke up enough to get a proper look at his friend. His mouth snapped shut.

Severus' body was taut as if he was fighting back the urge to run and his usually inscrutable black eyes were showing white all the way around. Frank sat up abruptly from their nest of cushions in front of the fire, his hand reaching out only to fall limply to his side as he saw the person standing behind Severus.

Albus Dumbledore regarded them calmly over his half-moon spectacles.

Frank's eyes shot to Severus' and saw resignation there. Something twisted inside Frank at the thought.

"Headmaster," he blurted, "it's my fault—I dragged Sev up here, I was selfish and—"

"Oh for Merlin's sake Frank," Severus exploded suddenly, "will you just shut up?! You hardly had your wand at my back, it was my decision." He lifted his head arrogantly. "If I didn't want to be here, then trust me—I _wouldn't_ be."

"You wouldn't be here if I hadn't guilted you into it," Frank snapped, looking back to the Headmaster again. "You can't punish Severus, Sir, I'll take the detentions—"

Severus slapped a hand over his mouth. "Shut up Frank!" His eyes darted to Dumbledore's raised eyebrows and Frank heard him mutter something about stupid Gryffindor martyrs. A strange noise caught Frank's attention, had that been a snort?

"Ignore him, Headmaster," Severus said smoothly, tightening his grip as Frank squirmed and let out a muffled protest. "I know I'm not supposed to be here but it's not like I broke in or anything. I was invited by a resident. And I don't recall hearing about any…_official_…rules against such a thing."

"Release Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Snape."

Severus reluctantly let Frank go and glared at him as he opened his mouth. Frank glared right back, determined not to let Severus take the fall for this.

Before they could start arguing again, Dumbledore intervened.

"Gentlemen," he instructed, "take a seat."

Severus perched carefully on the edge of the couch, clearly uncomfortable and Frank dropped down heavily next to him. With an elegant wave of his hand, Dumbledore re-lit the fire. Light flooded the room to reveal the Headmaster beaming at them, his blue eyes twinkling merrily behind his glasses.

"It has been some time since I've seen such strong bonds between the Houses," he remarked cheerfully as he took a seat across from them.

"So…you're not upset?" Frank asked in shock.

"On the contrary, dear boy," Dumbledore smiled, "it gives me hope for the future. The friendship you two just displayed is what Hogwarts is all about." His smile dimmed. "And I believe that sort of unity will be needed more than ever now, gentlemen."

Frank cast a bewildered gaze at Severus who narrowed his eyes in turn. Severus tipped his head slightly and gave his friend a significant look. Frank frowned and followed his gaze back to the Headmaster. Or rather to his tattered robes and the scorch-marks that marred the eye-watering colours.

Frank felt his heart clench in fear and he grabbed Severus' arm, reflexively looking for an anchor.

"You didn't come here to catch Severus in the wrong common room, did you Sir?" he asked shakily. "You came to see me."

At Dumbledore's solemn nod, Frank's fingers gripped Severus tighter—he dimly worried that he might be hurting his friend but he couldn't seem to convince his fingers let go. In any case, Severus didn't protest and Frank quickly forgot about it, his eyes scanning the Headmaster's somber face, searching for some clue…

"Your mother is alive, Mr. Longbottom," he assured him but Frank didn't relax.

"That covers a multitude though, sir," he replied unsteadily. "Tell me…please…how bad is it?"

oOoOoOo

She was asking for him.

All Frank could absorb was that his mother would fully recover with time and that she was _asking_ for him. She was normally so strong and independent—she never wanted to let him see when she was hurt, only ever telling him after the fact. It made his heart swell with pride to know that she considered him old enough, strong enough to comfort her like he'd always wanted to.

Severus was beside him, pulling him to his feet and practically supporting all his weight. He dimly heard some garbled words like 'shock' and 'moral support' but it meant nothing to him until he had some rich warm chocolate shoved into his mouth.

He choked and spluttered, coming back to himself with a jolt as someone pounded on his back. He gasped and straightened up in self-defense, looking through streaming eyes at Dumbledore's chagrined expression.

"A little more care, Mr. Snape," he admonished gently.

Severus stared back unrepentantly as Frank finally swallowed the chunk of chocolate. "It worked, didn't it?" he demanded. "When someone goes into shock, they need a bigger one to snap them out of it." At Dumbledore's raised eyebrows, he relented slightly. "Although I suppose the chocolate was probably better than hitting him," he admitted grudgingly.

"Thanks," Frank rasped sarcastically.

Severus shot him an evil grin in response. "Guess you'll have to take better care of yourself if you don't want to suffer through my version of first aid again," he responded wryly.

Ignoring Frank's dark look, he raised an expectant brow at the Headmaster. Frank took a minute to be envious of Severus' self-control—just a short while ago he'd been scared of Dumbledore but now there was no trace of his earlier panic. Frank looked between the two. Clearly Severus wanted something badly enough to overcome his apprehension.

"Very well, Mr. Snape," Dumbledore said lightly, "If Mr. Longbottom has no objections of course."

Frank felt like he'd missed something as Severus immediately clammed up. Dumbledore's face softened as he looked at the Slytherin.

"Mr. Longbottom," he began, "I think considering the circumstances, that you shouldn't be alone. Due to what happened tonight, I have other business in St. Mungo's so I will have to leave you for a time."

Something clicked in Frank's mind and he felt a rush of affection for his awkward Slytherin friend. "Of course, Sir," he agreed. "Maybe…" he glanced at Severus, hoping he hadn't guessed wrong, "maybe Severus could come with me?"

"I think that will work very well," Dumbledore said twinkling at the pair of them. "Mr. Snape?"

"Of course," Severus replied stiffly but he moved easily to Frank's side.

As they headed towards the portrait hole, a thought struck Frank and he looked around the empty common room. "Where's Remus?"

* * *

><p>Severus bit his lip. He didn't want to admit that Remus had left before the Headmaster arrived, when he thought they were both asleep. It was hard not to roll his eyes at the thought. As if he could even think of dropping his guard like that on what amounted to enemy territory.<p>

In any case, Remus must have had a pretty compelling reason to break curfew like that, especially considering how worried he'd been acting about Frank. Then again, he _was_ a Marauder… Still, Severus kept his mouth shut. Until he knew why Remus had disappeared, he wasn't going to announce that he'd snuck out of the dorms in front of Dumbledore.

"He was here when we went to sleep," Frank persisted, looking around as if he expected his fellow Gryffindor to spring out from behind a cushion.

"Well, perhaps he got tired of sleeping on the floor and went to bed?" Severus suggested coolly.

Seeing Frank's face drop slightly, he shrugged. Maybe he didn't know why, but Remus had still left Frank when he needed him, to say nothing of his promise to help get Severus out of the lions' den without anyone lynching him. The fact that so few Gryffindors had stayed for Christmas was the only reason he'd made it this far unscathed.

"Ah yes," Dumbledore said apologetically, with a rueful glance at the window, "I'm afraid Mr. Lupin has some family issues of his own to deal with. A sick Aunt I believe." The portrait hole swung open and he stepped out. "Shall we?"

Frank and Severus followed quickly, Remus' mysterious circumstances quickly pushed aside for now. Although something about the way Dumbledore had looked out the window, just for that split second, nagged at the back of Severus' mind. He had the feeling he'd missed something important. However, Frank's white face and strained expression took precedence.

They were headed to St. Mungo's.

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><p><strong>AN: Severus' only experience of first aid comes from the streets of Spinner's End which is **_**not**_** a nice place. So first aid (when anyone bothers) is bound to be a little…unorthodox! :P**

**Please review and let me know what you think!**


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